Berbice NGO better equipped to serve vulnerable
The gathering at the commissioning and graduation exercise of the Roadside Baptist Training Centre on Monday.
The gathering at the commissioning and graduation exercise of the Roadside Baptist Training Centre on Monday.

— commissions US$90,000 Japanese-funded projects

By Tajeram Mohabir
THE Roadside Baptist Training Centre continues to provide Information Technology (IT) staffers for major private and public sector organisations in the Ancient County of Berbice.Every year since 1997, more than 100 persons have been trained in IT at the centre
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the centre, Yetrawatee Katryan said many of the graduates have also gone on to further their education at the University of Guyana, while some have migrated. He was speaking at the recent commissioning of works at the Centre to the tune of US$90,000, funded by the Japanese Government.

Variety of Skills
The centre established in 1995, has over the years been making a meaningful difference in the lives of residents. It focuses on providing poor and at-risk youth, single-parent mothers and school dropouts with skills in a variety of areas geared to make them employable or able to start their own businesses.
These programmes include garment manufacturing, IT, cosmetology, cake decoration, floral arrangement, HIV Prevention and Awareness Counselling, a monthly seniors’ programme, a remedial education programme, and lessons in English and Mathematics at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations level.
Entrepreneurship
All the training programmes include a component of entrepreneurship, as the goal is to empower the poor by providing them the skills to climb out of poverty and to enjoy comfortable lives.
Katryan reported that since the May 2014 graduation, some of the persons from the remedial education programme are now pursuing technical vocational skills training at the Upper Corentyne Industrial Training Centre, while others have been placed back into the formal education system.
“Quite a few who have successfully completed the programme and skills training here or at the Upper Corentyne Training Centre are now in the Guyana Police Force or are in training,” she said.
During the last quarter of 2014, in collaboration with the then Ministry of Labour through the Board of Industrial Training, some 57 youths and 20 single parents were equipped with income-generating skills.
Students of the centre also performed well at the CSEC examinations.
“We secured 82 per cent passes with Grades 1-3 in Mathematics and 58 per cent with Grades 1-3 in English in the May 2014 CSEC examination. For the 2015 examination, we were able to secure 82 per cent with Grades 1-3 in Mathematics, and 78 per cent with Grades 1-3 in English.

“Two of our learners scored Grade 1 in Mathematics and another two Grades 1 in English. Some of them are now at the Teachers’ Training College, the University of Guyana or in the teaching or other profession,” Katryan reported at the commissioning.
She thanked the business community, the government, donors and everyone else who have been contributing to upkeep the training centre. The CEO also thanked her hardworking staff for their unwavering commitment to service.
In February, the Japanese government donated US$90,000 to the centre to do the critical renovation works. The works included repairs to the church’s outdoor auditorium and the rebuilding of a shed destroyed by a storm last year. The shed has been rebuilt and is now outfitted with ceiling, walls and furniture.
In addition, the IT laboratory, library and office of the centre have been upgraded.
At the commissioning, a number of persons received certificates for their successful completion of the Gender-Based Violence and HIV/AIDS Prevention Training Programme funded by the U.S. Government. Those who completed other programmes offered by the centre were also honoured.
Many of the thousands of vulnerable persons who over the years have passed through the Roadside Baptist Skills Training Centre have been provided an alternative to crime and answers to help them out of poverty.

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