Cajed's project is aimed at the construction of logistic structures adequate to host a school for the vocational training of local young people and some craft factories where young people can carry out the apprenticeship activity and, after having reached an adequate level of preparation, they can carry out the appropriately remunerated work activity.  

 

The project for the construction of five buildings, with a total covered area of ​​5,500 square meters, was carried out on an area extending over two hectares; the area was donated by the Diocese of Bafoussam and made available to the "Cajed Center". In a building with 13 classrooms, a basic school and a professional school will be established; two buildings will be used as artisan laboratories (carpentry, mechanics and building school); two other buildings will be destined to host the most destitute students, and orphans and abandoned women; a building will be used as a residence, offices, reception for visitors. The area that will not be occupied by buildings, streets or courtyards, will be at the service of an agricultural school and used to carry out horticultural activities aimed at the production of vegetables, that can be used for daily feeding and which can be produced in multiple cycles during the year.

 

More in detail, the activities carried out in the structures will be:     

 

- The professional school, designed to welcome the students who have completed the basic course of studies. The privileged teaching sectors in the vocational school are as follows. For the boys, the activities related to the processing and transformation of wood, to the construction of buildings, to mechanics intended as an activity of use of machine tools for the construction of mechanical equipment, to the electrical and hydraulic plant sector. For girls, activities related to home services, services to people, tailoring jobs. For boys and girls, in the last year, a teaching attempt was also started for the use of information technology and software, autocad in primis. In reality, the implementation of this teaching is greatly slowed by the lack of people who possess the appropriate knowledge and are willing to teach them. On this, we are thinking about how to be able to involve European teachers who are also willing to short transfers on the spot.     

 

- The apprenticeship, which will be carried out in the laboratories of the center, where the members of the "Cajed Center" work. Many of the teachers of the vocational school are also workers in the laboratories. After the scholastic and apprenticeship period, many youngsters easily enter the local social and working world, others remain and become working organizers and workers themselves in the laboratories, while others less autonomous or disabled are hired in the laboratories and, with adequate salary, can lead a dignified life. For girls, learning home management, services to people and tailoring, the apprenticeship is done in selected families who request the services. School-based professional learning by girls is of paramount importance to their lives; the certificate of attendance of the vocational school allows them to be recruited in compliance with social security and welfare regulations. The laboratories are real workshops, where works are carried out and manufactured products to be sold to the free market.

 

- The main activity, related to carpentry. It will be produced of everything, with any type of wood essence of which Cameroon is rich: doors for exteriors, windows, doors for interiors, furniture of every kind and degree of finish, chairs, sofas, armchairs. In this activity, everyone can develop their own professional inclinations; the products are of high quality and are sold throughout Cameroon. The equipment the laboratory is equipped with, are all imported from Italy and are all the result of donations from Italian benefactors. The proceeds from the sale of products built in carpentry are almost sufficient, alone, to maintain the activities that are carried out in the "Cajed Center".

 

- Other activities no less important, even if less important in terms of economic remuneration: those related to mechanics, construction and hydraulic and electrical plant engineering. These activities are right to teach children the job and give them the opportunity to enter the world of work. In itself the "Cajed Center" does not carry out external activities in these sectors; the skilled workers in this sector are used by Cajed to realize the buildings that serve the center itself. In fact, almost all the construction work on the new buildings is carried out by Cajed's internal workers.

 

As always, the economic and financial aspects affect the success of the project. The works are carried out using workers, apprentices and local materials; also the constructive techniques are local, with the addition of some European technology. Since the labor force and the mainly local technique are used, the construction times of the new structures are dilated. The whole project is expected to be completed in 3 years. From a financial point of view, to date, around 130,000 euros have been spent on the construction of infrastructures to allow the construction of buildings, for the construction of the building for carpentry and a part of the school building. It is expected that the costs still to be incurred amount to a total of 300,000 euros, with an annual financial commitment of 100,000 euros.