Kalwande is an independent rural vocational training Institution, operated by the Catholic Church, but it accepts all faiths without any discrimination. It was founded a long time ago by the Dutch, who became known as the “White Fathers”. After it was acquired by the Church and “Africanised” its aim was to teach accredited trade skills to youngsters leaving secondary education, to help them earn a living. Unfortunately, it came into competition with the Government funded and urban based “VETA“ – Vocational, Educational Training Authority, leaving it underfunded, and lacking sufficient numbers of paying students.
We found it by accident during our monitoring visit in 2020, which was cut short by the Pandemic and we could only spend an hour there. What we saw was an opportunity to Partner with Kalwande, benefitting both our Charity and the Institution. The Director, Father Akriatus Kumbago was keen to explore the possibility, backed by the Archbishop of Mwanza, Father Renatus Nkwande.
The campus, situated 35Km from Mwanza city, is huge and comprised of workshops, training rooms, offices, and accommodation blocks, but much of it was looking rather sorry and neglected. After much discussion and deliberation, the decision was taken by the Board to end our long standing Partnership with SIDO (Small Industries Development Organisation) and put all of our resources into Kalwande, culminating in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between us and Kalwande. Our Project Officer, Michael Kimaryo, and our four workshop staff agreed to the change and on 1st March 2023 reported for duty.
If you read the Newsletters on our website you will gain some idea of what we have brought to Kalwande since 2020 – 4 container loads of tools and equipment and many short free training courses. We have contributed greatly to the infrastructure, restoring semi derelict buildings to provide a sewing machine workshop and a temporary workshop for our own use. Under construction now is a brand new general workshop for our staff to refurbish tools ready for sale at affordable rates to both students and rural artisan groups.
Every charity involved in Africa has come to realise that just supplying aid in the form of hardware, is not enough. It has to be combined with training in the use, maintenance and repair of the tools, equipment and sewing machines, along with business management and life skills – provision that has been sadly lacking in the rural communities.
The future is bright, for Kalwande and TFSR Cymru, and more importantly, for those potential artisans that need our support. We trust that we have your continuing support in our endeavours as well!
