Contact Address Details:
Gambia Home Economics Association, Skills Centre
GHEA Banjul
area Head office
Old Jeshwang
PO Box 812 Banjul
Kanifing Municipality, Ksmd
The Gambia, West Africa
Tel no: +220 4394429 
7794153
Branches: 1
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Information:
 The
GHEASC Skills Centre in Old Jeshwang was created in 1985 on
a vacant plot of land with the support of the Government of
Canada and is operated by the Gambia Home Economics Association.
The NGO was established to train girls who dropped out of
school early, tutoring students from the ages of between 12
to 24 years old, recruiting those who had no schooling to
those at high
school grade level.
The purpose of the skills training unit is to enable young
women to generate income either through self-employment or
as staff employees of businesses or organisations.
Support and financing was carried on until 1994 when it ceased.
From 1994 to 1997 the school was the recipient of a financial
grant from the Government of The Gambia. Running costs were
also partially covered by student fees and income generating
schemes like the sale of students products, catering and renting
of rooms for meetings.
The Centre has received additional support from a UK based
charity organisation called Friends of
The Gambia (FROGS), who have donated some equipment and
books
Courses:
The GHEA Skills Centre has a 2 year craft level programme.
• Year 1
Dressmaking / Tailoring
English
Home Management
Laundry
Mathematics
Needlecraft
• Year 2
Cookery
Hotel Management
Nutrition
Tie Dye & Batik
About 70% of students opt to specialise in cookery and 5%
in tailoring. The facility carries out its own evaluation
assessments and awards its own graduation certificates.
During the final year of their course, students are placed
in a 6 week to 2 month work attachment in bar restaurants,
catering firms and hotels. This can lead to some of them being
offered part-time jobs during their courses or full-time work
upon graduating.
Approximately 70% of the students specialise in cookery and
5% in dressmaking. During the second year of the course, students
undertake a six week to two month work attachment in the Gambia's
tourism sector such as in hotels and restaurants. As a result,
some are offered part time work during their studies and jobs
on graduation. The Centre assesses students internally and
awards its own in-house certificate.
The facilities of the education complex comprise of a dressmaking
room with sewing machines, training kitchen, classrooms and
a few offices. They also maintain a vegetable patch to use
in the cookery lessons.
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