The non-profit vocational school called The Fountain Gate Crafts & Trade School in Chongwe, Zambia offers professional courses for young people to prepare them for trades. It also offers training for the community that concentrates on life skills and integrating disadvantaged groups.
“As always, I got on the plane to Lusaka full of anticipation. It was my fourth visit to Zambia. It was not possible to hold training sessions in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. I was particularly excited to see the Fountain Gate Crafts & Trades School’s new premises in Chongwe.” – Carsten Pabst
This was how Carsten Pabst, Head of Training for AZ Limburg/Weilburg, felt when he made his way to Zambia in Autumn 2021. Of course, we wanted to support Carsten in his important work in East Africa and bring joy to the ambitious young people in Chongwe at the same time. That is why we gave Carsten tools and gifts for the people in Chongwe.
The non-profit vocational school called The Fountain Gate Crafts & Trade School in Chongwe, Zambia offers professional courses for young people to prepare them for trades. It also offers training for the community that concentrates on life skills and integrating disadvantaged groups.
The Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors (ABCEC) in Zambia has been collaborating with the Frankfurt Rhine/Main Chamber of Crafts in Germany since the end of 2017. The aim of this partnership is to incorporate industry back into vocational training activities and to develop vocational training opportunities in Zambia.
In collaboration with Sven Buchholz, Vice Head of Fountain Gate Crafts & Trade School, the main aim of the workshops was to improve the trade skills of the students, to foster understanding of construction processes, to increase the precision of the work performed and to significantly increase general construction work. Our first large product was the basin, which included concreting the base plate and laying the bricks for the round wall. The basin is to be equipped with a water pump with water fountains after it is finished. We also worked together to build a shelter for various pieces of equipment.
The Polycare workshop was the second important part of my visit. Polymer concrete stones are to be used by women in particular so that they can build a house on their own in Zambia without having to rely on men. These very light stones are set up using the Lego principle and can be dismantled again at any time. Furthermore, they do not contain any cement and have low carbon emissions as a result.
“During my visits in 2017, 2018 and 2019, it was my absolute pleasure to work with the enthusiastic young students, to see how they pick up the work processes and trade techniques and perform them themselves. I particularly liked working with the young women on the Polycare house. Finally, all that is left for me to do is to thank Gelson Maluma and Sven Buchholz. It was a real pleasure for me to teach at the school and to see what has been achieved there over the past two years. I am already looking forward to – hopefully – visiting again in 2022.” Head of Training for AZ Limburg/Weilburg, Carsten Pabst.
A few years ago, one of the students was half an hour late to Carsten Pabst’s class and this led to an experience that he will not forget in a hurry, as a very punctual German man. When Pabst asked why she was late, she replied that she had to walk to school and had left the house at 4 am so that she would be at school by half 8. Sometimes she walks faster and sometimes a bit slower and so she got there a little bit late.
“Time and again, it is fascinating to see the joy the children and students have here on site. It is great. Simply the best motivation on earth,” Head of Training for AZ Limburg/Weilburg, Carsten Pabst.
