Graduation Day
A Better Future for Vulnerable Children and Orphans of HIV
 

On Saturday, November 16th, the ACC presented certificates to 48 students of the Vocational Training Center. The graduation was held on ACC campus, and was attended by the mayor of Awassa, as well as the graduates’ family and friends. Since June 2006, ACC trained 128 men and women in metalwork, woodwork, electricity and basic computer skills. Many of the participants of ACC’s 10-month program come to the Center from City Women’s Affairs and Jerusalem Children and Community Development Organization. They’re looking to gain the skills necessary to secure employment opportunities, help their families, and make better lives for themselves. Now many of them are making a respectable income of 80,000-100,000 birr per year. In this year’s graduating class 42 of the 48 graduates are women, and in fact, of the 128 graduates in the last two and a half years, 102 of them are women who now have the skills necessary to better their situations. “The ACC is creating jobs,” says ACC social worker Temesgen Lea. “The students are learning skills that enable them to, as a group, apply for loans from the Ethiopian government and make their own businesses. This is a wonderful program of selfempowerment.”  At the graduation students were presented with flowers and photo albums provided by Jerusalem Children and Community Development Organization. ACC presented new Oxford English Dictionaries to the Center’s top ranking students, as well as certificates of completion. The graduation ceremony was followed by a circus performance and refreshments were on the house. Everyone had a great time and we’d like to thank all of you who helped make this possible. Let’s keep this wonderful program going!