GEF Trainees create a beautiful carved Government Seal from Lukwej. Photo: Suemina Bohanny

GEF Advanced Carpentry and Entrepreneurial Program Coming to Completion

There is not many days left for the GEF trainees to be at WAM. The trainees in the last few months have worked hard to hone their skills in carpentry, carving, and entrepreneurship knowledge. They have participated and been a big part of two major events that WAM has held. An Open House Event was held on June 26, 2017 from 5:30 to 7:00 pm displaying the handmade wood products that the trainees in this program have produced from local woods. The Open House was attended by many in the community as well as family and friends. It was an opportunity for the GEF trainees to display their hard work and what knowledge and skills they have achieved from this Advanced Carpentry Program

The trainees in this program also participated in the Retreat to Eneko Island July 3-6, 2017. This retreat encouraged environmental awareness, manit (local customs and food), and self-identity thru various group activities. Learning to work in teams helped all trainees to see the need to work together to protect the environment and use it wisely.

A special session that took place during the retreat was when they went over to an islet near Eneko. The trainees were located on a small portion of sand that looks like a formation of a little islet. Alson the Executive Director of WAM begin talking to them about climate change and how it is part of their culture adaptation. This was the perfect setting to talk about climate change because not only did the trainees HEAR about climate change but they actually were able to SEE how the Marshall Islands is affected by climate change. The Retreat proved to be very successful in helping the GEF trainees with an increased awareness of responsibility and the importance of taking assigned tasks seriously. This training has also prepared them to implement their goals and helped them to make decisions for future employment and entrepreneurship. Completion of this successful program and graduation day are not far off.

 

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