manz - passion for efficiency

In addition, in 2008 we launched our project “Give someone a Future – Metal Workshop in Ethiopia”, together with the Evangelical Youth Organization and the Ethiopian YMCA. The goal of the project is to give residents in one of the poorest countries in the world the tools and knowledge necessary to help themselves. Specifically for this purpose, we founded our own metal training workshop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Each year, approximately 15 young people from disadvantaged ethnic groups will receive theoretical and practical training in the field of metalworking to become a “general metalworker”. During the past four years already 64 dedicated and motivated apprentices between the ages of 15 and 19 successfully completed the training and now have the skills they need to join the work force. Currently young men and women are trained.

Today, our metalworking shop is already regarded as a model project for all of Ethiopia. In order to further improve the program in the future, our next step is to extend the length of the program from ten to twelve months. In addition to upgrading the classrooms, we also plan to set up a small production facility to reduce the program’s dependence on financial donations.