Our work at the School for Carpentry and Construction in Kumbo, Cameroon allows us to cross paths with some very interesting, aspiring woodworkers – Mo (short for Mohamed) is one of them.
Mohamed was attending a local technical school, well on his way to learning how to design furniture when tragedy struck: the school had a fire that left it in ruins. Rebuilding in Cameroon is a time-consuming process and the school struggled to hold classes and meet its obligations. Mo, a scholarship student, was adversely affected and did not have the means to continue his education at another school. In fact, he already lost his parents and was adopted by his uncle, a man struggling to make ends meet and barely able to provide for Mohamed.
One day, driven by desperation, this uncle dropped Mo off at the School for Carpentry and Construction, pleading with the staff to accept him into the training program. In talking to Mohamed, we identified some of the native talents that he had for wood working, and accepted him into the program, providing him with a scholarship.
Two years later, this hardworking young man is now a full-time employee at our training center who enjoys leading carpentry projects all on his own. His formal Apprenticeship ended in July of 2013 but he feels he still has more to learn. He would like to build on his basic knowledge of cutting, sanding and finishing wood, eventually starting his own carpentry shop. Mo has determination and potential: we look forward to supporting his efforts to build a better future for himself in Cameroon.
