Welcome to The Yearbook

As a One Student member, you’re part of a community of people who are creating a world where everyone has the opportunity to work for a brighter future. To celebrate this exciting work, we’ve created The Yearbook. At the end of every three-month term at the WAVS Schools, visit The Yearbook to see your impact up close.

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Highlights

Latest updates from the Winter 2021 term

 

A group of students that participated in the Wellfound course in February. 

Solar energy training for students

Each year, the WAVS campus in Canchungo partners with an organization called WellFound to train students how to construct wells and latrines, and operate solar-powered pumps.

This year, 10 students traveled from all over Guinea-Bissau, coming from remote islands and villages, to participate in the school’s two-week intensive course in February so that they can return to their communities and utilize the new skills they learn.

Dauda, a Computer Basics teacher, showing students how to utilize Zoom to share a presentation.

Connecting virtually with others

The COVID-19 pandemic had us all turning towards online resources to continue our work.
 
Guinea-Bissau was no different. Many organizations, businesses, and institutions are using remote meeting tools to continue their work. A WAVS Computer Basics teacher, Dauda Indjai, saw this as an excellent teaching opportunity for the students.  At the end of the course, students practiced their new skills by setting up meetings on Zoom and calling the school secretary to talk and share a presentation.

Dauda, a Computer Basics teacher, showing students how to utilize Zoom to share a presentation.

Ravoldo is happy to begin sharing his passion for teaching and the English language with students. 

New English teacher joins the team

As WAVS schools continue to expand, so does our team! We are happy to welcome a new English teacher, Ravoldo, to the Canchungo campus. He joined the school towards the end of the winter term and is excited to be encouraging students in their desire to learn English.

Around Campus

 

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Staff repainted the WAVS Schools Gabu campus and made improvements to prepare for students to return to classes.

WAVS welding student with a New Entrepreneurs Program welding kit

Graduates of the welding course purchased (at a discounted price) welding tool kits with tools to help them get started in their new profession.

 

During the Wellfound course students learned to build things as this latrine. 

A labor intensive task during the Wellfound course. 

The entire classroom space is utilized to accommodate social distancing to keep students and teachers safe.

Behind the Scenes

In every organization, there are people who silently work behind the scenes to make sure everything is running smoothly.

For WAVS, that is this group of amazing people. They work long days that never look the same. They go from translating construction meetings or meetings with government officials to navigating the difficult Bissau system of importing goods for our schools and sometimes having some fun flying drones to take pictures of the construction process.  Every day we thank them for their contribution to equipping the youth of Guinea-Bissau. 

Spotlight

Junior

WAVS School Welding Student

Meet Junior

After he graduates, Junior will be eligible to purchase (at a discounted price) a starter welding tools kit. Junior says:

I am from Cacheu, a town that is a 30-minute drive from Canchungo. I have been living here in Canchungo for many years now and think of it as home. Before enrolling at the WAVS School, I was doing some small things in welding and really enjoyed it. I liked working with my hands. I chose to come to the school and learn more about welding because I knew that if I want to do welding for my job, I need to improve my skills.

What I like most about the program is the repetition of practice. We learn the theory in class, spend hours practicing, go home to study, come back, and practice it again. This method gives us the ability to really learn the material and be good at specific skills. Once I graduate, I hope to open my own welding shop.

Where are they now?

Read stories about WAVS Graduates.

Rumario: To provide for his ailing uncle and 8 others in his family, this young man became a welder.

How learning welding skills can provide for a whole family in West Africa Rumario started [...]

Read More
This is his story. Now it’s yours.

João has been welding since he was 8 years old. He enrolled in the WAVS [...]

Read More

View Past Yearbooks

A recap of what happened at the WAVS School in Spring 2020