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As a One Student member, you’re part of a community of people who are creating a world where everyone has the opportunity to work for a brighter future. To celebrate this exciting work, we’ve created The Yearbook. At the end of every three-month term at the WAVS Schools, visit The Yearbook to see your impact up close.
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Highlights
Latest updates from the Spring 2021 term
Graduates were excited to finally get to celebrate after this year’s graduation had been postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions.
24 students graduated from the WAVS vocational school in Canchungo
Thanks to the One Student community’s investment in the future leaders of West Africa, 24 WAVS students celebrated their graduation in June. The WAVS staff organized an outdoor graduation to celebrate the 9 welding students, 4 English students, and 11 computer basic students that completed their respective courses. The ceremony even had a live band that played before and after the ceremony. The lead singer was Uasana, one of the 2019 WAVS school welding graduates.
Moise, who had been teaching at the WAVS Canchungo campus, is now the English teacher at the Gabu campus.
Classes resumed at the Gabu campus after renovations completed
After pausing for a few months to renovate the Gabu campus classrooms, classes have restarted! The campus filled three English classes in the Spring term. The students and staff are looking forward to adding French and Computer Basics to the course list soon.
Welding students putting up the trusses they welded for their roofing project.
Welding students raised the roof
The welding students at the Canchungo campus get a lot of real-world, hands-on work experience by taking on projects commissioned by people in the community. This year, WAVS students worked to build a roof for a local agricultural co-op. This roof was the students’ final project before the end of the term.
Around Campus
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WAVS staff attended a 2-day training seminar where they learned new skills to apply in their classrooms. The school invited members from the local community to lecture on teaching theories. A local pastor encouraged the team to work with a Christ-centered focus.
WAVS graduates at the Canchungo campus proudly displaying their diplomas.
Staff held a good-bye party to thank Lili Mane for the years he has spent serving as the director of the Canchungo campus. He and his family are moving to the capital, Bissau, so his wife can study at a university.
Every year, the WAVS school staff goes on a weekend retreat where they discuss lessons learned from the last year and spend time building each other up as a team.
WAVS welding students designed and built desks for WAVS staff to use at their new office in the capital, Bissau.
Behind the Scenes
The WAVS team says goodbye to Lili Mane and thanks him for his years of service
From implementation of the New Entrepreneur Program to intentional staff development, Lili has spent years serving as the director of the Canchungo campus. The WAVS team thanks him for his dedication, commitment, and care that he showed for the school during his time. Lili and his family are moving to the capital, Bissau, so that his wife can attend a university.
“During my time in Canchungo, with WAVS, I have learned a lot of new things, which I am grateful and will be grateful for my entire life. I have new friends and new brothers and sisters in Christ.”
–LILI MANE, former WAVS School Director at the Canchungo Campus
Spotlight
N’cole N’bai
WAVS School English Student
Meet N’cole N’bai
After finishing the WAVS English program, N’cole plans to expand his language skills to include French as well.
“I moved to Canchungo to help my uncle who has a gas station here in Canchungo. With the money I earn from my work and teaching Portuguese at the local high school, I chose to take English classes at the WAVS school. I could have saved my money for a new phone or activates with friends, but I know that studying and learning English will help my future more than those other things.
I am in level 5 now, the last level for English. I chose English because it is a global language that will help my work. After I finish English, I plan to continue to study at the WAVS school and learn French next.”
Where are they now?
Read stories about WAVS Graduates.
Bruno’s dreams evolve with his vocational education from the WAVS School.
In West Africa, a vocational education can make dreams a reality. As a little boy [...]
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Deusa’s WAVS story: How computer skills gave her new opportunities and hope in West Africa
Learning new computer skills helped Deusa advance her career. Deusa was nervous. It was her [...]
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To escape poverty, this West African trained at a vocational school to become a welder
How job-skills training is a long-term solution to poverty How do you help a young [...]
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This is his story. Now it’s yours.
João has been welding since he was 8 years old. He enrolled in the WAVS [...]
Read MoreView Past Yearbooks
