Construction and Equipping of Replacement Vocational Training Institute (VTI)
Current Status: This residential building was bought by an English benefactor in 1999 to house the launch of a Vocational Training Institute (vti) founded by our Liberian partners.
During our evaluation trip, April 2008, it was clear that it is well past its functional life and severely cripples their potential for development, growth and sustainability.
- operational space needs to increase by at least 60% to realise potential and sustainability to be realised (there is a waiting list of over 400 students)
- only 2% is air conditioned; computers start to fail within 6-8 months and die within 12 months
- all power is from the generator, represents 25% of overall VTI running costs
- networks and systems are cobbled together within a crumbling infrastructure and facilities
- residential layout does not effectively facilitate commercial educational training facility
Objective: To build a purpose designed 2 story Vocational Training Institute on land that we own 500 yards from the current VTI. This land also accommodates a further residential property gifted to the work.
This building will be equipped with sustainable power and water collection /purification systems for its own use and sale to local community and air-conditioned in all rooms. This facility will house all current training programmes in the fields of computer and secretarial science and business studies (the most in demand within the Liberian workplace). In addition it will have training workshops for all primary build trades, mechanics and expanding the business studies programme to micro cooperative workshops and incubation units.
Outcomes: The transition of a Liberian charitable work from 87% sustainable into surplus, enabling retention its exceptional staff. Ability to expand and offer more courses to more students and create more employment and social sustainability and to facilitate the launch of satellite institutes in other Liberian town/cities increasing its overall profitability and ability to service its other social empowerment tools and support programmes that are positioned to potentially transform whole communities.
