Training Center includes youth in programs

Youth are given lessons in making funeral wreaths

December 2014 – Self-Help International is expanding its training program to include youth beneficiaries.

The Fred Strohbehn Training Center in Nicaragua is now involving children in training programs. The youth are children, nieces, nephews, and/or grandchildren of women beneficiaries in either the micro-credit program or participants in the training center program. Children can start learning useful skills for personal growth and to contribute economically to their families.

Thus far, 86 children have participated in the program, and Self-Help staff aims to involve 100 children by the end of the year.

To integrate children into the training, Self-Help is providing courses geared towards a younger audience. Recent participants were trained in leadership, reproductive health, sexual violence prevention, gardening, self-esteem, creativity in business, and athletic games so children can learn interact with youth from other communities.

In addition, Self-Help International provided courses to both women and children in piñata design and funeral wreaths for All Souls’ Day. Beneficiaries have benefitted from an increase in their variety of services and a growth in business and income.

In the most recent funeral wreath workshop, 32 women and 13 youth from the communities of Quinta Lidia, Santa Isabel, Laurel Galán, and Melchorita participated. The women and their children can earn up to 120 cordobas ($4.55) for each funeral wreath. Making and selling the wreaths in the local community is better for the women, and cheaper for the customers. It also saves in transportation costs.