In the north, 150 PWSNs and UAC (aged 17) completed 6 months vocational training (VT) in mobile phone maintenance, electronics, automobile mechanics, motorcycle repair & maintenance, computer maintenance; for women incense-making, sewing and hairdressing provided by UNHCR’s partner. 100 graduates received tool kits and will be followed up in 2018 with SME support in 2018. 24 PoCs benefited from short-term VT courses including beauty services, phone maintenance, sweets & pastry making. 14 PoCs were provided with internship programs, 110 students benefited from Arabic courses, 65 students attended the IC3 online programme, 90 students benefited from the English Literacy and Proficiency program, 20 benefited from English for Specific Purposes courses provided by UNHCR partners, while the English Test TOEFL Preparation was granted to 9 beneficiaries. 61 PoCs benefited from long-term technical education and vocational training (pharmacy, laboratorial services, doctor’s assistant, etc.). 514 PoC were provided with microcredit loans.
In the south, UNHCR’s partner completed soft skills trainings for 58 students, including vulnerable women aged between 18 and 50 years old on building technical skills in tailoring (15 in Basateen and 8 in Kharaz), perfume-making (15 in Basateen and 5 in Kharaz) and a baking course (15 in Basateen). The trainings mainly aimed at empowering women marginalized by their families or were past survivors of violence and facilitating their re-integration into the community. Each lesson was also supported by the presence of a psychologist to ensure the facilitation of the relationship among the participants, addressing any traumas they may have experienced. After the trainings, social workers continued to follow up with the participants, to support those in need of further guidance and other forms of support.
Under the ongoing technical and vocational training agreement with the Ministry of Technical and Vocational Training, UNHCR’s partner enrolled a total of 10 Somali refugee students (7 from Basateen and 3 from Kharaz) in Community College for the 2017-2018 academic year, to pursue the following majors: marketing and media (2), computer engineering (5), computer programming (1), accounting (1) and automotive technology (1). A total of 383 persons attended the Arabic and English classes organised by the refugee committees in the camp and community centre in Basateen. 150 refugees benefited from the computer courses organised by a refugee committees in the camp. Due to the limited resources UNHCR could not provide funding for microcredit loans for small business for the set target of (200 persons).