How does BeadforLife identify students for the Vocational Training Program?
BeadforLife partners with local non-profit groups and other community organizations that refer bright and enthusiastic young adults who would benefit from our Vocational Training Program.
All potential students are interviewed and visited in their homes by a BeadforLife staff member who evaluates their living status and assesses their motivation for enrolling in the program.
BeadforLife targets young people who:
- Are from impoverished families, commonly live in crowded, unsanitary conditions with relatives or friends, and often eat only one meal per day.
- Are between the ages of 15-26.
- Have failed to complete school due to the illness or death of a parent, or dropped out because they needed to work at menial jobs to help their family survive.
- Are motivated to take advantage of the opportunity, work hard, and lift themselves out of poverty.
What are the costs of Vocational Training?
All costs associated with Vocational Training vary among students depending on the course, but generally range between $1,500 and 2,500.
BeadforLife covers:
- Course tuition fees.
- Books and equipment. Schools in Uganda do not allow attendance unless students have all required materials.
- Transportation. Although we do our best to match students with local institutions, daily travel is typically required to attend school. Providing for transportation is vital to ensure students can attend their classes.
- Lunch for full time students. BeadforLife recognizes that students cannot reach their full learning potential on an empty stomach. For students in full-time courses, BeadforLife makes arrangements with the school to provide a nutritious lunch.
Can I sponsor a student?
BeadforLife does not arrange 1:1 sponsorships for students; we do support approximately 100 students each year to enroll and attend Vocational Training courses. We welcome donations to support the students and help defray the costs of our vocational training program. BeadforLife is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and all donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. Your contributions translate into hope and possibilities for hard-working Ugandan students and their families.
How successful are graduates of the Vocational Training Program?
The Vocational Training Program is a relatively new program and will graduate our first students in 2008. The students currently enrolled in Vocational Training courses have undergone monumental changes in their self-confidence levels and leadership capabilities. Several students have been inspired to campaign for places in their school governments and have successfully been elected into a variety of leadership positions. We believe this new sense of empowerment and self-confidence, along with the valuable knowledge and skills they are learning, will help them to create successful lives after completing their courses.
In the future we plan to do ongoing evaluation of the program, including tracking the success of graduates through surveys and occasional meetings. We plan to involve Vocational Training alumni to share their experiences with newly enrolled students and assist with BeadforLife workshops. Be sure to check our website in the future for the evaluation results and to see the impact that our Vocational Training Program has had and continues to have on the hundreds of VET students and their families.
Do students contribute back to their community?
BeadforLife believes that providing Ugandans with the resources and tools to lift themselves out of poverty is a more effective method of assistance than giving direct handouts. Therefore, we make it a requirement that all students give back to their communities in some way. Examples of this in the past include planting foliage in the BeadforLife Village and volunteering as tutors to young students.
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