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 Summer 2021 term
Staff celebrated a record enrollment of 434 students and are already looking ahead to the 2021-2022 school year!
Record Enrollment: 434 students studied at WAVS vocational schools last year!
Despite the global pandemic, WAVS vocational schools trained 434 students in the 2020-2021 school year – shattering all previous enrollment records! After taking some time to celebrate, WAVS staff started thinking ahead and set a goal to train at least 500 students in the 2021-2022 school year.
The shipping container carrying supplies for the WAVS vocational schools in Canchungo and Bissau arrived during the summer term.
Importing supplies however we can — via suitcases and shipping containers
Access to quality materials in Guinea-Bissau is extremely limited. As a result, WAVS vocational schools often must import supplies using suitcases and shipping containers. Recently, WAVS imported materials including textbooks, computers, welding equipment, a solar panel system, and team t-shirts for school staff (see photo). These supplies will give WAVS vocational schools the capacity to train even more students this year!
Local youth joined in on classes during the summer term when schools were closed because of the rainy season.
Students of all ages enrolled in summer classes
Public schools in Guinea-Bissau close in the summer in part because they lack the infrastructure to withstand the stormy rainy season. Leaky roofs, inconsistent electricity, and flooded dirt roads make it nearly impossible for schools to operate during the summer.
Because WAVS vocational schools are powered by their own solar panel systems and are readily accessible, classes were expanded this year to incorporate youth to support their education through the rainy season. Computer, English, and French classes were filled with students ages 10 to 50 – all of them studying so they can have the opportunity to work for a brighter future.
Around Campus
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Behind the Scenes
Spotlight
Moisés Júlio CÁ
Canchungo School Director
Meet Moisés
Moisés joined the WAVS school in Canchungo as the school director in September of 2021.
He is originally from Guinea-Bissau and studied abroad in Coimbra, Portugal to complete his degree in Human Resources at Instituto Superior Miguel Torga with a specialization in Project Management.
“I strongly believe that education is the key to success and freedom for everyone, everywhere. By providing education to the communities in Guinea-Bissau WAVS is contributing to the success of those communities.”
Before joining the WAVS school staff, Moises had the ambition of returning to Guinea-Bissau and working for a large organization such as the UN. After learning about the WAVS schools and seeing their impact, Moises decided to join the team and work to give the youth of Guinea-Bissau the opportunity to learn life-changing job skills.
“While I was abroad studying, I had the dream to return and contribute to my country, and now I am living my dream.”