3: Vocational training

Since 2011 Mama Alice has her own three vocational training programs. For boys we provide a two-year carpenter training and a metalworking training. For girls we provide a seven-month manicure and pedicure training. In our manicure/pedicure training there is also 1 boy and in our other two training programs we also want to invite girls. In this way we work towards gender equality. All our trainings have the same goals:

• The students improve their social skills and have a more positive self image.
• All our students have the professional skills
• None of our students accomplish child labour. Among this we understand labour which influences physical or psychological development negatively.
• The students become financially more independent.

The carpenter vocational training and the metalworking vocational training

In the beginning we see that during the courses they listen very badly to each other, they criticize each other and they make mean comments. The teacher works with a reward program and compliments. After a while the adolescents work better together, have respect for one another and communicate with each other in a normal way.

In the workshop the adolescents make products on command. Hotel – Restaurant ViaVia orders beds and tables and Mama Alice itself orders chairs, Furniture and boxes for our buildings and our office.

In the fall of 2010 we have opened a Mama Alice shop in the centre of Ayacucho. Here we sell the products of our (see below) and our former textile vocational training.

Manicure/pedicure training

Since October 2010 we’ve started our manicure and pedicure training of seven months. They earn materials, so that at the end of the training they can start working immediately.