Today, we’re announcing a new donation to WAVS: an existing vocational school in Guinea-Bissau. That’s right – an entire school in Guinea-Bissau has been donated to WAVS.
Here’s how it happened.
More than a decade ago, an organization called Servants to Missions built a vocational school on a 2.5-acre compound in a city called Gabu, which is the second-largest city in Guinea-Bissau. The school has been used in lots of different ways over the years: for teaching English classes, hosting workshops for local church leaders, hosting visitors at its guest house, and even as the home for a local radio station (complete with a radio tower).
Some of these programs lasted only a short time, in part because of limited funding. But there has always been a real need for job skills training programs here. Even though Gabu is a city of more than 200,000 people, this is the only vocational school in the region.
How did WAVS get involved?
Two years ago, Servants to Missions asked WAVS to bring some of its training programs to their school. We happily agreed to do so.
As the partnership evolved, Servants to Missions asked us if we could take over the school completely. Tony Vaz, the school director (and a local pastor), knew the school needed to grow, and he knew that WAVS has a good track record in Guinea-Bissau.
“WAVS fits with this vision because it’s training people to improve themselves in life.”
TONY VAZ, Gabu Campus Director
What now?
So earlier this month, Servants to Missions agreed to donate its entire compound to WAVS. It will become the third WAVS campus in Guinea-Bissau (the other two are located in Canchungo and the capital, Bissau). In the next few months, we’ll expand course offerings at the campus, install new furniture and desks, make some repairs to the campus, and supply the school with much-needing teaching materials.
Thank you to each of you who have journeyed with us all these years. I believe this new opportunity in Gabu is just one of many we’ll have in the future. And together, we can continue to equip West Africans with life-changing job skills.
Next steps
To launch the WAVS campus in Gabu, we first need to raise $20,000 to fund teacher salaries, purchase teaching materials and classroom furnishings, and install new equipment (including a much-needed solar power system).
Thanks to a generous donor, all donations will be 100% matched (up to $10,000) through April 29.
