New skills to support my family out of poverty
Build It trains young people who have had little education, but with a genuine interest to learn new skills to be able to find work and provide for their families.
We caught up with trainee Ingútu Sileshebo, who is learning with us on the construction of new facilities at Zambezi Sawmills Community School.
Ingútu’s challenges echo those of many young people across Zambia:
“I grew up in Nwalashi village, Sioma District of Western Province. My grandmother raised me after the passing on of both my parents when I was just 5 years old. I dropped out of school because my grandmother couldn’t afford to pay for my Grade 9 examination fees.
I found various jobs including working at a guest house and working as a maid to help my grandmother who was not able to financially support me and other children she was keeping. But the pay was not sustainable as I was only getting k200 per month.
In 2011 I left and headed to Lusaka with the hope of finding greener pastures. But things didn’t go as I had envisioned. It was very difficult to find work. I managed to get a job as a maid, but conditions were not favourable.
So in 2012 I moved down to Livingstone. There I met and got married to Mr Wamundila. I have continued to work as a maid in Livingstone until recently when I stopped to join Built It’s training course.
I got to know about Build It through my husband, who is currently working as a caretaker and guard at Zambezi Sawmills Community School, and through the Parent Teacher School committee.
I discussed my plans to join Build It with my husband. He didn’t object like many men would, but encouraged me to join as he knows that I will be able to help carry the financial responsibility of our family. Currently we rely on the salary he raises from the school and at the moment this is not sufficient for us with our two children.
I want to support my family out of poverty. With my new skills I hope to support my family, and raise some funds to appreciate my grandmother for having raised me up. I’m also very pleased that my children will have new facilities at their school.”
Ingútu with her husband Mr Wamundila Saushini, daughter Hope who is in pre-school and son Wamundila who is in Grade 1
