The Sierra Leone Adult Education Association (SLADEA) in collaboration with EED and a German professional have established a tuition free ceramic skills training center at the Lettie Stuart Pottery Ceramic center at Campbell Town, near Waterloo for marginalized and disadvantaged youths in the area.
In an exclusive interview, the German instructor who also doubles as the coordinator of the Ceramic Center Erika Puettner disclosed that the ceramic center trains youths on how to make clay pots, cylinders, ash trays, candle stands, flower vase, bowls, plates, cups and other house hold utensils made out of clay.
She added that the ceramic center also constructs potter’s wheel, and also teaches general knowledge on marketing and other theories like some management skills that will be used for the smooth utilisation of their skills at community level.
Erika Puettner intimated that the ceramic center trains youths on throwing on the wheel, isolation bricks, kiln building, firing, and non-violent communication and peace building programs which will help the trainees reintegrate in their respective communities with a skill that can sustain them and their families.
She noted that, some of the trainees are interested in the skills because it is the only institution of learning that focuses on ceramic production in the country. The training runs for a three year period and it is delivered using non – formal methods.
She also spoke about the materials used at the training center which she said, is locally made and produced citing fire wood and clay which will help both the trainees and instructors to access raw materials meant for the training which is affordable any time and everywhere.
Erika Puettner encouraged desirous youths to be trained as professional potters in the Waterloo area to come to the center and learn a skill that will benefit them in the future and also empower their families to become self reliant and contribute to sustainable development of their respective areas.
This press also caught up with one of the female trainees at the ceramic center Wuyatta Menjor who said in an interview that “the training is very important for youths in this area because we are trained in ceramic production and marketing which will help to sustain youths with a future career.”
She promised to work in her community, when she might have graduated from the institution and also promised to train more youths in her locality so that they can become self reliant for sustainable development and avoid the dependence syndrome to others for hand outs.
Concluding she appealed to her colleague youths who are not doing anything to make good use of the opportunity and enroll in the institution to build their capacity with a skill that can empower them because the three years course is cost free.
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