‘FROM PRISON TO WORK: MORE EX-PRISONERS TO FIND EMPLOYMENT AS CRAFTSMEN, THAT’S OUR GOAL!’

Gladson Msendera, Music Crossroads Malawi

Everyone deserves a second chance in life. This is the motto under which Music Crossroads is committed to offer a better future for ex-prisoners in Malawi. Gladson Msendera is Head of Training: “Together with Gered Gereedschap and Young in Prison we started a metalwork training in 2017 at Lilongwe. The project offers training courses to young prisoners in Malawi after their detention. A training to become a skilled metal worker, offering them a prospect of a stable future as a craftsman or craftswoman.”

The training is a great success. Gladson: “Since the start of the training, more than 360 young people have already completed a training course with us. A fantastic result of which we are extremely proud. Especially because there was a lot of resistance to our project at the beginning and in particular to our students. By now, the training is well known and there are more and more parents who want their children to follow a training programme here. This positive response from the community gives us an enormous amount of energy.”

More students could have been trained if it had not been for the fact that the training workshop only allows a limited number of students. Gladson: “Aside from the ex-prisoners, more and more ‘ordinary’ young people – without a criminal past – are coming forward who also want to follow a training programme. We also see an increasing demand for training in other disciplines such as tailoring and shoe making. That’s why we want to expand, so that we can offer a new start in life to even more young people!

Music Crossroads and Gered Gereedschap want to jointly set up two fully equipped training workshops: a metal workshop and a combined tailoring and shoe making workshop. Gladson: “Just like our current workshop, these two workshops will also be built on the basis of sea containers.” The containers, including tools and machines, will be supplied by Gered Gereedschap. Volunteers will help with the construction and pass on their knowledge to the people there. Gladson: “With this expansion we can offer even more young people a great future! Will you help us?”

 Join us!

Will you support Gladson Msendera and the people of Music Crossroads to train more young people to become a craftsperson? Then support this project! A total of € 108,000 is needed. Every donation is welcome. For 25 euros we can already supply one set of tools. You can submit your donation via iDeal on our website: www.geredgereedschap.nl/doneer

On behalf of Gladson Msendera, thank you in advance for your support!