When a boy with no education becomes the village hero

Abdoulaye Hama, 17, has never been to school. From the village of Djagourou, in northwest Niger, he never thought he would one day be a tailor and the pride of his family and community. The eldest child in a family of eight, Abdoulaye worked hard helping his father on the farm and watching their little flock of five goats.

 When in 2007 World Vision Niger (WVN) opened a learning centre for careers in sewing as part of its vocational training programming, Abdoulaye enrolled to learn tailoring - he was only 13. The centre is supported by World Vision UK and carried out in collaboration with the local government structure.

 Like Abdoulaye, there were several other non-schooled children in Djagourou whose future plans were limited to working in agriculture or with livestock. The sewing centre became a point of hope for such young people and their families, especially given the scarcity of rains, cyclical droughts and various food crises experienced by Niger in the last decade, and particularly in the Tera Area Development Programme area. Thirty seven students, both girls and boys, made up the first class at the centre.

 After a three year sewing apprenticeship Abdoulaye and 36 classmates received their diplomas and were given a sewing machine and a sewing materials kit by World Vision, to enable them to put their skills into practice.

 An entrepreneur at 15

Immediately after receiving the kit, Abdoulaye, a brave boy of 15, began to produce items of clothing for sale and to sew clothes for other villagers. Every Friday on Djagourou’s weekly market day, Abdoulaye either makes or mends the torn clothes of customers from neighbouring villages. On market days he can earn up to FCFA 7,000 (about US $5) and between FCFA 2,000 to 3,000 (US $4) on the other days of the week.

 With his job, Abdoulaye is now able to support himself and his family. And he has become the pride of the entire community, known as someone available to help when neighbours need to borrow money.

 “I lack words to say thank you to World Vision because if it were not for its support I may not have come to the point whereby I can help myself, my family and even my neighbours. Today with my job, I can say that I have become famous in my village and many parents would like their children to be like me.”

 Witnessing the success of Abdoulaye and his classmates, many more young people from the area have come voluntarily to register at World Vision’s Learning Centre.

 Many more graduates

Since the opening of its doors in 2007, the centre has educated 87 children, of whom 23 are girls. In total 55 have completed the training and have received sewing machines and kits of sewing materials from World Vision (the remaining students will shortly receive their machines and kits). At present 57 children attend the training centre.

 With support from World Vision, the trained youth are earning a living and supporting their families; something which not only helps them, but also the socioeconomic development of their communities. Abdoulaye’s brothers and sisters are now going to school, thanks to his support.