Mshiri Vocational Training School

Vocational Training School

Gilbert (left) in his workshop

Gilbert supervises workshop

In order for the training school to be self-supporting we have some income-producing projects. One of these is a carpentry workshop.

Donated carpentry and joinery machinery has been installed and the workshop is being run by Gilbert Mremi as a commercial enterprise to help support the vocational training school with its running costs.

The School is connected to three-phase electricity and has electrical equipment as well as many handtools for use by its students.

The second and third year carpentry students learn to use the machinery in the workshop.

The new Village Crafts Shop and Cafe sells some of the items made at the Vocational Training School.

At Marangu Mtoni, next to the new shop, we have built a traditional thatched hut as used by the Chagga tribe. There are very few of these left and the Chagga traditions are being forgotten. This is not only a tourist income-generating venture but will serve to educate the local children in the traditions of their forefathers.

Chagga house.

Chagga house.

A second hut has also been built to show the next stage of traditional building which used a form of wattle and daub.

Chagga hut.

New accommodation for boarding students has been built on the same site as Gilbert's workshop. The building was designed by final-year architecture students at Edinburgh University who approached us via Quest Overseas to see if there was a building they could design and help to build. The architects arrived in August 2005 and worked on site until early October. Three more groups have since worked on the building.

Accommodation being built

New boarding accommodation

When the building opens, students from towns and cities further afield will pay commercial fees and so help with the running expenses of the School.

Would you like to support our work in developing education in rural Tanzania?