Trade Training for African Youth

Trade Training for African Youth is a not-for-profit organization situated in Tema, Ghana. It trains unemployed and homeless youth in a trade servicing and repairing vehicles, and has expanded to now train boys in the building trades with our first apprentice now studying carpentry at TTI, and covers all their apprenticeship and training costs. The training is carried out at the workshop Coffie, Kwofie and Lesbirel P/L (CKL Mechanical Services P/L) a not-for-profit workshop. We also train boys at MMS workshop now located in Ashaiman a subburb of Tema.

TTFAY provides all workshop training and qualification training at the Tema Technical Institute (TTI) in their chosen trade. All apprentices are paid a living wage, given uniforms, a tool kit commensurate with their trade, accommodation if they are homeless, all training both informal and formal, paid holiday pay, sick pay, inoculated against all tropical diseases and enrolled in their hospital medical care program.

The cost to maintain this facility is around AU$20,000 per year and has been funded by myself for over 10 years, but I am now retired and need to find an alternative to the funding by October 2023 or the facility will have to close. I have managed to find sufficient funds to keep CKL and TTFAY alive for another year, but we are now desperate.

Please help me to keep this workshop and these youth in training. This is a genuine cause and you can google me to authenticate me (Phillip Lesbirel - author https://www.thriftbooks.com/a/phillip-lesbirel/2033607/)

We now have 7 apprentices and tradesmen at CKL and need the funds to build accommodation for 7 apprentices. The cost of this accommodation is about 80,000ghs, or AU$20,000. This will cover the cost of 2 X 40ft containers, a 20ft container converted to a single bedroom and a full modern bathroom and conversion to 7 separate sleeping rooms. The cost of the land to place this living space on, is about AU$4,500 and has now been purchased and the first container is now in situ. Therefore, we are looking at trying to raise AU$15,000 to be able to complete this project. Please help us to achieve our goal.

The first converted 20ft container has now been placed onto the land and the pier foundations are about to be started for the two 40ft containers. The cost of the foundations is estimated at 22,000ghs (about AU$5500) and is due to be started within the month of September 2022. The cost of converting the containers is reduced by the use of the boys doing what they can within the limits of their trades. Sam, our manager, is now doing a course at TTI as a carpenter so he can lead the boys forward and instruct them on the internal conversions, with the use of local plumbers and electricians. The cost of the two 40ft containers is estimated at 32,000ghs (AU$8000) and converting into 6 more bedrooms estimated at another 30,000ghs (AU$7500). As you can see, the costs are low compared to world standards, but these boys need a safe, protected environment to be able to live a decent life and to carve out a living for their future, and these costs are not unreachable with the help of those who sympathise with these youth.

Please help if you can, the cause is genuine and their needs great. I have done what I can but I need help to make these plans come to fruition.