After our visit in november 2015 it becomes very clear: Labuan Bajo needs more craftsmen. Momentarily the island falls short of trained personnel as it comes to craftsmen such as carpenters and electriciens. Professionals in making furniture are being flown in from Bali and Java. That’s a lost opportunity for potential craftsmen on Flores. To compete with craftsmen from elswhere in Indonesia, additional knowledge is needed. Therefore we started a promising partnership with Father Marsel to educate craftsmen, led by local professionals.
Professional craftsmen with extra skills are wanted everywhere
Flores Learning Center (FLC) provide education according to the demand on the local labor market. Additional knowledge ranges from short courses in hospitality to complete education as carpenter. With this extra backpack students will be able to find work more easily at the end of the FLC-ride.
Flores Learning Center starts with training capenters
Together with local role models we are making a flying start with the project in 2016. We’ve employed Ica (Photo: 1st left) as a project manager because of her earlier commitment to Swiss Contact. This Swiss NGO has many projects running in education and tourism in Indonesia. Ica has started the first FLC-project in collaboration with Father Marsel (photo: right). Together with local trainers they educate carpenters to work in the construction business. The carpentry shop of Father Marsel is where students learn their skills. EduChild provides for the necessary tools.Possibilities for expanding FLC
We start with a group of 8 students who are trained by the head of the workshop, who is a local professional from Flores. FLC offers many opportunities to train various professional craftsmen in the future. Surely we can use your help expanding our learning center. You know where to find us if you want to contribute. You can also make a donation online.