Training - Be Empowered

There is a major need for young people of Liberia especially in Paynesville/rural and nearby surroundings to freely access communication, information and training centers so they can have a good basic knowledge of computer programmes and related issues. Therefore this project aims at establishing a pilot information-training center for young people in Liberia who would be fully informed, trained and equipped to work with computers and access resources online.

Youth, who are the future of any nation, however have suffered the most. Children have been routinely recruited into the army to fight – about half have lost one or both parents, about all have had their education truncated through school closure and found no jobs because of zero investment. Worst, they suffer early death and reduced life expectancy through lack of health care, information technology and totally inadequate nutrition. Everyone acknowledges this and recognizes that youth have to be educated, trained and equipped otherwise they become point of contact for future conflict.

Now that peace has come, there is great hope for the future – the young people in Liberia are healing, and are determined that war should never spill across its borders again. They have had to grow up so fast that although the lack the formal education others take for granted, in terms of maturity, they are well-equipped to cope with the responsibility that now falls on their shoulders. A renewal and re-invigoration which the current ruling elite so desperately need, can only come from the young generation.

Through their energy and fresh ideas, so many young men and women need to be drawn into the decision-making process and be actively engaged in constructive development projects.

Therefore Youth Crime Watch of Liberia, together with the United Nations Industrial Development (UNIDO) has established a Youth Communication Technology Hub in Liberia. Not only as a place where people can learn computer skills, access internet and network with other like-minded people, but also exposing them to all knowledge and experience that we have accumulated over the years on issues such as:

• Job search
• Environment
• Human rights
• CV writing
• Student research

(especially HIV/AIDS), and the skills that will help them become active and productive members of society.

We also plan to collect information on youth employment, create a database that can be accessed by all and give guidance where needed.

Our basic youth empowerment program is the IT training. In this category of training, we provide different levels of IT training for youth to choose from. Each of them are full career courses that when completed can make youth managers of their own or very marketable assets.

On the other hand, we have the gender based trainings that are strictly meant for females. In Liberia, most of our young females are illiterate. Even the literate ones hardly have career level skills or education to live on. As a result, they rely solely on support from family members and most unfortunately, support from men they have affairs with. This does not only make them vulnerable but also deters their vision and limits their capability. Other training programs are incidental to the operation of Youth Crime Watch.

We believe that a country's power lies in its younger generation, most especially, the feamles; so we make it our duty to empower them. All we need is your moral and financial support. Send an email to donate@ycwliberia.org to contribute.