Vocational Training for Afghan Women Project (VTAWP) By Michel Tapiero

VTAWP AFGHANISTAN GOAL: To assist the GoA to implement its social protection strategy particularly as it pertains to support vulnerable women PURPOSE: to increase self-sufficiency of vulnerable women and their families including widows and female-headed households in Kabul

GOAL: To assist the GoA to implement its social protection strategy particularly as it pertains to support vulnerable women

PURPOSE: to increase self-sufficiency of vulnerable women and their families including widows and female-headed households in Kabul

VTAWP AFGHANISTAN 3 components in the project: Technical and vocational training for widows in Kabul: acquired skills, literacy and self-confidence Family and Community acceptance of women in vocational and technical trades: Awareness and gender equality, Community and family support Institutional Capacity building: Partnerships, capacity building Voc Tech local Partners

3 components in the project:

Technical and vocational training for widows in Kabul: acquired skills, literacy and self-confidence

Family and Community acceptance of women in vocational and technical trades: Awareness and gender equality, Community and family support

Institutional Capacity building: Partnerships, capacity building Voc Tech local Partners

Vocational Training Cycle Holistic Vocational Training Cycle Vocational Training Course Delivery, National Testing & Certification Tracer Studies Credit Employment and Self-Employment Career Support Tools of the Trade (TOT) Industrial Training / On the-Job Training (OJT) Employment Skills Including Personal Empowerment, Life skills, Gender, Workers’ Rights and Responsibilities & Entrepreneurship Training Institutional Capacity Building Support and Training: NVQ and VT Sector Reform requirements, Management, Administration, Finance, Gender and Teaching Techniques Vocational Training Preparation Includes Soft Skills such as Career Orientation, Gender, Health (Safety, First Aid, HIV and AIDS, Nutrition) & Life Skills Planning and Preparation Process Based on Labour Market Assessment & Employment Results; Preparation Includes Selecting Staff, Purchasing Equipment, Selecting Trainees, & Constructing/Renovating Facilities

Planning Process Labour market survey, business feasibility, project and partner review, nationally recognized syllabus, LOA with IPO, instructor selection, mobilization of women for employment, Coordination wil local gvment authorities VTAWP Project Cycle © by WUSC-EUMC Tool Kits, Productive Assets & Links to micro-credit Networking Introduction of trainee to Employer, forums, VT provider, forming women’s associations Community & Family Acceptance of women and employment Research/M&E Tracer studies (6 months & 2 years), Lessons learned, Graduates meetings, Case studies, IPO meetings Employment and Self Employment assistance Post-Course Training Workers rights & Responsibilities Family meetings Vocational Training Trades training Crèche Safety equipment Travel Examinations Additional Skill Training Integrated in VT Empowerment, literacy, career orientation, safety & first aid, reproductive health & nutrition, leadership, life skills/ counseling, family awareness on gender, MED, savings and credit. Institutional Capacity Building VT, organizational & business management, teacher training, syllabus & material development, gender/WEE training, infrastructure for VT & businesses. Establish small businesses, producer groups & provide business counseling Trade specific marketing & financial skills training Monitoring On-the-job training Project Preparation Equipment , purchase, renovation, select trainees, food and transportation for trainees.

Vocational Training

Trades training

Crèche

Safety equipment

Travel

Examinations

Project Preparation

Equipment , purchase, renovation, select trainees, food and transportation for trainees.

VTAWP AFGHANISTAN Context and existing conditions Strong cultural, religious, societal traditions Low literacy levels Limited access to sustainable employment Child labour to supplement income Low income and large family size Increased rent prices and levels of debt Limited access to credit Mobility challenges Inadequate nutrition

Context and existing conditions

Strong cultural, religious, societal traditions

Low literacy levels

Limited access to sustainable employment

Child labour to supplement income

Low income and large family size

Increased rent prices and levels of debt

Limited access to credit

Mobility challenges

Inadequate nutrition

VTAWP AFGHANISTAN Labour Market Situation Crafts and trades are the major category of business Service/shop category is the second most prevalent Lack of access to credit for SMEs

Labour Market Situation

Crafts and trades are the major category of business

Service/shop category is the second most prevalent

Lack of access to credit for SMEs

VTAWP AFGHANISTAN Cross-Cutting Themes Integrates a gender strategy to empower women Inclusive participation of all groups ( women, families, community) Capacity development ( skills training and increase their income-earning capacity). Enhance planning and management capacity of government, NGO and private sector partners Establish strong partnerships ( local civil society organizations, private sector and government ministries.) Coordination and sharing best practices and lessons learned with all stakeholders Application of RBM

Cross-Cutting Themes

Integrates a gender strategy to empower women

Inclusive participation of all groups ( women, families, community)

Capacity development ( skills training and increase their income-earning capacity).

Enhance planning and management capacity of government, NGO and private sector partners

Establish strong partnerships ( local civil society organizations, private sector and government ministries.)

Coordination and sharing best practices and lessons learned with all stakeholders

Application of RBM

Results as of March 31 , 2009 Out of 1025 trainees: 65% are women (widows/mothers 33%, daughters 32%) 35% male youths (sons) 463 successfully graduated, the remaining trainees still in courses 10 trainees accessed On the Job Training (OJT) 100% of graduates received tool kits 100% of graduates received additional skill training 41% of graduates employed or self-employed 6 months after training Project Goal : 1700 individuals successfully complete VT training courses Target Group : Unemployed widows and their families

Results as of March 31 , 2009

Out of 1025 trainees:

65% are women (widows/mothers 33%,

daughters 32%)

35% male youths (sons)

463 successfully graduated,

the remaining trainees still in courses

10 trainees accessed On the Job Training (OJT)

100% of graduates received tool kits

100% of graduates received additional skill training

41% of graduates employed or self-employed 6 months after training

VTAWP AFGHANISTAN Trades classes offered No Trades Total number of classes 1 Bag Making 2 2 Bakery 3 3 Beautician 3 4 Carpentry 2 5 Charma / Dozy 4 6 Computer 4 7 Embroidery 11 8 Food Processing 2 9 House Wiring 4 10 Mobile Phone Repair 5 11 Plumbing 1 Total 41

Trades classes offered

VTAWP AFGHANISTAN Additional skills training modules 1 Female Trainee Empowerment 2 Career Orientation 3 Life Skills/Counselling 4 Reproductive Health (including HIV/AIDS) 5 Nutrition 6 Occupational Health & Safety 7 First Aid 8 Gender 9 Savings & Credit 10 Leadership 11 Cooperatives 12 Career Skills 13 Worker Rights & Responsibilities 14 Business Development Skills and how to set-up a Business Unit – throughout VT 15 Literacy - throughout VT

VTAWP AFGHANISTAN The project also provides capacity building initiatives with the local training partners Agreement with eight partners (providing 41 training classes in total) Twenty training classes (average 20-25 trainees/course) completed (22 on-going) Two training of trainers courses for fifty VT instructors employed by local training partners

The project also provides capacity building initiatives with the local training partners

Agreement with eight partners (providing 41 training classes in total)

Twenty training classes (average 20-25 trainees/course) completed (22 on-going)

Two training of trainers courses for fifty VT instructors employed by local training partners

VTAWP AFGHANISTAN Lessons learned from Sustainable Livelihood Projects The project must maintain a high degree of adaptability to respond to market demands An employment-oriented approach is critical, as is up-front and follow-up research on labour and employment markets Without providing ongoing support and follow up assistance to employment and self-employment, the risk of not continuing in the trained trade is very high Business training and emphasis on quality control must be provided along with VT in order to lead to employment

Lessons learned from Sustainable Livelihood Projects

The project must maintain a high

degree of adaptability to respond

to market demands

An employment-oriented approach

is critical, as is up-front and follow-up

research on labour and employment markets

Without providing ongoing support and follow up assistance to employment and self-employment, the risk of not continuing in the trained trade is very high

Business training and emphasis on quality control must be provided along with VT in order to lead to employment

Lessons learned from Sustainable Livelihood Projects continued Businesses should be linked to locally available resources and markets In traditional activities such as tailoring and embroidery, the market is highly competitive, therefore there must be emphasis on producing high quality products Technological improvements can lead to higher quality and higher income earning The ages of the widows may determine which training is more suitable; therefore a mix of traditional and non-traditional trades is recommended to have more scope for involving widows of all ages

Lessons learned from Sustainable Livelihood Projects continued

Businesses should be linked to locally available resources and markets

In traditional activities such as tailoring and embroidery, the market is highly competitive, therefore there must be emphasis on producing high quality products

Technological improvements can lead to higher quality and higher income earning

The ages of the widows may determine which training is more suitable; therefore a mix of traditional and non-traditional trades is recommended to have more scope for involving widows of all ages

Thank you Questions?

Questions?