The Vocational School building at the Nkabom Centre will be an education and meeting resource for Okurase, nearby villages, and all of Ghana.
The Concern
As Project OKURASE was starting, a formal needs assessment was conducted with village residents. One of the biggest concerns expressed was the lack of job training and lack of jobs. A full commitment was made to prioritize this training. However, there was no space to conduct even any local training. A building was needed.
The Vocational School Building
As noted earlier, professors and students at Clemson University Architecture Center in Charleston, South Carolina developed the architectural design for the entire Nkabom Centre. The Vocational School is the first building to be built and will open in September 2017. It is a well-constructed, massive building. It is a story building (as is said in Ghana) two stories high and has 14 rooms that can be used for classrooms or meeting spaces. It has a large open covered area for gatherings and cooking will be done below this area.
For the last 8 years, Project OKURASE and the people of Okurase have by hand and with no machines built the Vocational School building. Eighteen village residents were trained in compressed earth brick making and made enough bricks to complete the building. The beautiful building that resulted has a spectacular red roof. We have toiled for 8 years because it takes a lot of time and tremendous effort to raise the funds and do the work to complete such an undertaking. The people of Okurase who helped build the building did so at reduced salaries because of their commitment to leave a legacy for their children.
When construction is complete in the summer of 2017, the Vocational School building will initially be home to the Nkabom Sundrops Montessori school as well as the Nkabom Vocational Training Institute. The Nkabom Vocational Training Institute will initially open at an informal level, teaching vocational skills such as sewing but we will not begin any full programs until 2018. We will, however, open a formal Montessori primary school starting with 2 classes for children ages 2 ½ to 6. You can learn more about Nkabom Sundrops Montessori and Nkabom Vocational Training Institute in our Education and Technology section.
Benefits
The Vocational School at the Nkabom Centre will benefit Okurase residents, people from nearby villages, and people throughout Ghana by housing the Nkabom Vocational Training Institute and other educational activities. The training we allow people to learn skills that they can use to pull themselves out of poverty. The networking among students and teachers will contribute to social development and lifelong friendships. Who knows what might be discovered or invented at the Vocational School. The future is bright.
Way Forward
With the Vocational School building being completed in the summer of 2017, we plan to use some of it's first floor rooms for the Nkabom Sundrops Montessori School and some of the 2nd floor rooms for the initial start to the Nkabom Vocational Training Institute which is planned to open with a formal program in the summer of 2018. These programs are described under our Education and Technology Objective.
We will also begin work on the Security Hut which is the next prioritized building. As funds and other resources are available, we will continue to work on the building construction at the Nkabom Centre until all 17 buildings are complete.
How You Can Help
We would love to have you involved with our vocational school. Our greatest needs right now are funds to cover equipment and painting. We also have a great need for good furniture. We are happy to have you share your ideas. If you are interested in helping, please contact us. We would love to hear from you!
