For the first time in the east of Demoso township in Karenni state, KayahLiphu group organized a three month long training called “Adolescence Engagement Programe” for the teenagers. The programme started on the 1st of February and finished on the 24th of April.
“Our objective of this Adolescence Engagement Program is to encourage young people to be able to contribute their skills that they learned from this empowerment training even in difficult times. And we hope that they will be able to share the knowledge they received from the training back to their community.” said the principal. “Most of the teens use mobile phones and waste their time at home, therefore we organized this training for them to be able learn something out of it” she continued.
Fifty participants were enrolled at the start of the program and forty-seven successfully finished the program. The program offered to teach Karenni literature, Karenni history, leadership skills, and music.
The young participants who finished the program also shared that they are willing to share the knowledge they received from the training and also contribute their skills back to their community organizations.
One of the trainees said “Since I started this program, I have one goal, that is I am going to share the things that I learned from this training.” She also added that “In my village, children cannot go to school anymore, therefore I’d like to teach the children what I learned from this training, and that was my main goal to attend this training”.
The first batch was successfully finished, and they are now preparing for the second batch. The organization who arranged the training would like to add computer courses in the program, however they are still struggling to have computers for the training.
“After the training, I would like to become a volunteer. I will be volunteering in the coming Batch-2 program or I will join one of the organizations helping with the supplies in displaced camps. And I will be helping people who are in need” said one of the students from the first batch.
Students from the first batch will be helping in the second batch program. Young people are welcome to join this program and support from donors are also welcome to continue this program.