The Thamani Centre-Nigeria
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The Thamani Centre was launched in April 2017 in Imo Gate village situated in Ukwa West, Abia State Nigeria to provide educational programmes and facilities for the local community.The village is in close proximity to oil producing land and cosmopolitan cities such as Port Harcourt and Abba, however the villagers in Imo Gate are affected by a range of socio-economic issues such as
-Limited access to quality education -High unemployment rate among youths -Marginalisation of women/widows -Child Labour -Lack of educational and extra curricular activities for local children Thamani Youth Of Africa is currently working with The Thamani Centre to design effective programmes,identify and secure local funding and partnerships, sponsor running costs and train adequate staff in order to ensure a safe space is efficiently run to enhance the development of the local community. So far,we have successfully launched phase one, which is the Learn and play Programme which caters to 70 children.Please see details below. Youth Involvement To encourage youths to learn,develop their skills, and to become active citizens, members of Nigeria's National Youth Service Corps work directly with our teachers to run our programmes.Two corpers per term are accommodated and given a monthly stipend during their time at Thamani. Learn & Play Programme The positive impact of learning while playing is often underestimated .This method of learning enables children to develop their cognitive, communication,physical and social skills. Many of the children in the local area are responsible for carrying out manual and domestic chores often at the expense of their education .According to Nigerian child labour laws,a number of the duties undertaken are illegal,however these laws are not enforced. The way in which local children learn and spend their time after school,or the majority of their time for those not in school, is greatly limited as there are no alternatives.Although the Child Labour laws will need to be enforced in order to make a drastic difference, we are making a difference by providing a space for local children, where they are able to read a range of books,participate in fun educational exercises and play with educational toys.We also provide snacks for the children. By opening this supervised space, which is currently open on Tuesdays,Wednesdays and Saturdays ,many local children are exposed to a variety of learning tools, which will enhance their knowledge and learning capabilities in a fun and safe environment. Desired outcomes -Improve the learning capabilities of local children -Decrease the level of child labour -Provide a fun and safe productive environment -Introduce an alternative and creative way of learning for children in Imo-Gate We are currently working on an impact report to share the encouraging progress our Thamani kids have made. With your support,we will be able to help launch the following programmes for young people and women, including widows in the village who do not have access to educational and business support facilities. |
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Projects in development
IT Skills workshops for youths
Unemployment is one of the biggest issues amongst young people in Nigeria,it can be even more difficult to find work when coming from rural areas.Many young people do not posses the basic IT skills needed for entry level positions, this contributes to the high level of unemployment and often means that youths are restricted to manual labour.
By sponsoring professionally run IT Skills workshops, 2 days a week, we hope to empower young people to acquire the skills needed to enter the job market in order to provide for themselves and their families.
Desired outcomes
-Increase the chances of employment
-Introduce/Improve IT skills
-Boost the morale of youths discouraged by the tough job market
-Create a productive space for young people to learn and grow
Business training workshops for local women/widows
Unfortunately like many societies,women are often confounded to carrying out domestic duties or selling goods at the market.For women living in villages, opportunities are far more restricted,this is even more apparent for widows.In Imo Gate, many local women sell goods at the market or work on farms.
By starting business training workshops, 2 days a week,it will allow local women to acquire the skills needed to start or grow their own businesses,expand to other ventures and increase their independence.
Desired outcomes
-Improve the skills and livelihoods of local women
-Encourage business growth
-Empower local women to explore beyond conventional business ideas
-Increase the income of local women
-Create an encouraging and productive learning environment for local women
IT Skills workshops for youths
Unemployment is one of the biggest issues amongst young people in Nigeria,it can be even more difficult to find work when coming from rural areas.Many young people do not posses the basic IT skills needed for entry level positions, this contributes to the high level of unemployment and often means that youths are restricted to manual labour.
By sponsoring professionally run IT Skills workshops, 2 days a week, we hope to empower young people to acquire the skills needed to enter the job market in order to provide for themselves and their families.
Desired outcomes
-Increase the chances of employment
-Introduce/Improve IT skills
-Boost the morale of youths discouraged by the tough job market
-Create a productive space for young people to learn and grow
Business training workshops for local women/widows
Unfortunately like many societies,women are often confounded to carrying out domestic duties or selling goods at the market.For women living in villages, opportunities are far more restricted,this is even more apparent for widows.In Imo Gate, many local women sell goods at the market or work on farms.
By starting business training workshops, 2 days a week,it will allow local women to acquire the skills needed to start or grow their own businesses,expand to other ventures and increase their independence.
Desired outcomes
-Improve the skills and livelihoods of local women
-Encourage business growth
-Empower local women to explore beyond conventional business ideas
-Increase the income of local women
-Create an encouraging and productive learning environment for local women
