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New
day dawns for Pottersville youth
With help
from the British and Canadian governments, a church has re-energised
a dozen youth in the Pottersville area and set them free.
The New Day
Fellowship and Deliverance Ministries last Saturday held a graduation
ceremony for 12 young persons who had graduated from its six-month
Leadership and Lifestyles Skills Training Programme.
The group
which consisted of unemployed youth who had had primary school
education or had dropped out early at High School, were taught
basic accounts, communication skills and techniques of business
management. And life style skills.
'This involves
teaching the students integrity, loyalty, faithfulness, commitment,
discipline. Things that would help them in their work,' explained
Francis Williams, the project Coordinator.
Williams said
the project aimed at heightening awareness among young persons
for training and 'to get them off the streets.'
With the percentage
of unemployment of young persons as high as 25, the NDFDM did
not intend to make much of a difference to these figures even
in the micro area of Pottersville. But two of the graduates have
found employment.
'I don't know
if we made a dent in the unemployment of the area,' Williams said,
'but I think the students have left with a high level of confidence
and self esteem. They have learnt that there is no situation that
is too difficult that they cannot come out of.'
She added
that the students have changed their attitudes and are now looking
forward to set up their own business. One graduate, Sharon Richards,
who received an award for the best overall student, said she is
'looking forward to be a business woman in the computer field.'
NDFDM is preparing
to repeat the exercise. This time the church hopes the Japanese
will help.
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