Global Bridges
Project Term 2015-2018 Global Bridges is an initiative that aims to empower young adults to become leaders and key voices and contributors in the sustainable development of their communities. Our goal was to create educational opportunities and provide tools that support life skills training, business entrepreneurship and relational building for young motivated adults that were involved with a local English school and NGO called Zanzibar Learning for Life Foundation. Daraja Foundation and Zanzibar Learning for Life Foundation partnered to launched student clubs under the concept of Global Bridges. Global Bridges consisted of skill focused clubs that were run by ZL4LF students, including chicken and permaculture farming, bicycle maintenance and repair training, nutrition education, food and beverage service apprenticeships, and language, arts and cultural exchange. Students joined a club with an aim to learn, train and sustain the club’s vision through fundraising and business initiatives. The clubs started with a mission tailored by students, that grew into a training centre and small business to promote education and increase employability. Global Bridges offered club memberships with opportunities to register in 3 or 6 month skills training of various programs. Members of the programs received mentorship and hands-on training in order to gain practical skills, learn about business and entrepreneurship, set a mission, vision and goals, share knowledge, build relations and receive educator training in order to pass on their newly learned skills to others. All programs interlinked with each other, sharing ideas and methods. |
The program method lead to continued study or career opportunities as a result of the new skills learned as well as the chance to obtain a scholarship for further education or a microfinance loan at the end of the program.
The founding members of a club volunteered their time to build on the vision. We worked with partner organizations, donors and volunteers to offer training manuals that new trainees would benefit from. In Phase I, students learn skills that relate to the club itself, and in Phase II, they took on a mentorship role to new students, learned about business essentials and had the opportunity to apply for sponsorship to continue their education, support with employability and career planning or a microfinance loan to start their own business. Sustainability With the support of partner organizations such as Bicycles for Humanity, our program was able to create the foundation for sustainability of ZL4LF and their future goals. At first funds earned went towards business expenses, student allowances and maintenance costs of the school. As the project term ended, profits from the businesses were still going towards expenses, but in addition were re-invested back into buildings for new future business plans. Businesses by ZL4LF would sustain the current school and help open a new school. ZL4LF’s founder, Shafii, has worked tirelessly to build the organization and has always been determined to make things happen, and he does! Organizations globally continue to support new initiatives as ZL4LF grows. More businesses have opened, such as an appliance store, vegetable stand and a tailoring shop. ZL4LF has since also transformed farmland purchased during our project into a nursery and primary school that is partly funded by businesses and managed by previous students of ZL4LF. |
Our 3 year Global Bridges project with ZL4LF resulted in over 70 students joining clubs and training and 25 students applying for and receiving part or full education sponsorships.
Learn more about ZL4LF and their current programs by visiting their website https://www.zanzibarl4lf.ninja/ |
Student sponsorship receipients
Huzaima Suleiman
Information & Communication Technology, Microtech Institute of Business & Technology Haji Mwita Heritage Management & Tourism, SUZA Abdul Omar Private Hire Driving Certificate Masoud Juma Food Production, Machui College Suleiman Abass Fakih Science, Zanzibar Muslim College Issa Salum Private Hire Driving Certificate Rayyan Khelef Accommodation fees, graduation, certificate transfer fees Arshi Ali Accommodation fees, graduation & certificate transfer fees Kassim Juma Science, Zanzibar Muslim College Khamis Mussa Accounting, SUZA |
Zahra Sabri
Form 5 & 6 Secondary school fees Othman Suleiman Front Office, Machui College Salama Mussa Community Economic Development, Open University Sabrina Khamis Information & Communication Technology, Microtech Institute of Business & Technology Maryam Salum Secretary Course Khalid Mkadam Private Hire Driving Certificate Khalfan Ali Tour Guide Training, Kawa Training Center Venus Sumi Motor Vehicle Mechanic Machui Community College Lailat Rajab Air Ticketing Course, Zanzibar Aviation Training Center Feisal Abdalla Community Development, Zanzibar University |