Vocational skills for disadvantaged youth
The Uai-Lili Youth Centre provides computer and carpentry training for young people in the village of Uai-Lili. The area was previously known as a dangerous place to visit as it was home to destructive and aggressive young people who would throw rocks at passers-by and vehicles driving through the village.
Maway, director of the Uai-Lili Youth Centre, was previously a leader of a gang in the area until he decided to turn his life around in 2013. With the assistance of the Marist Brothers and Marist Solidarity, Maway secured an abandoned school building with approval from the local chief. In 2014 he established Uai-Lili Youth Centre, with a staff of 3, and the computer program that has had 238 participants from 2014-2016.
The community was initially suspicious of Maway’s motives. After three years, the centre is now fully accepted in the community. This is the result of the centre providing accessible education opportunities for the young people, thus preventing them from resorting to destructive activities for entertainment. The carpentry program has also provided a small but valuable service to the community in donating beds and door frames to those that cannot afford them.
Your support of this program will continue to help build the capacity of young people in our region so that they can create a brighter future.