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St. Bakhita's Vocational Training Center
A Living Prototype for the Future of Vocational Schools
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We're a lab for education.
We're an epicenter for innovation.
We're accelerating generational change for women.
In partnership with the University of Notre Dame, and in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Gulu, Saint Bakhita’s re-launched in November 2021 with the creation of the Innovation Scholars program, to reimagine a new way to deliver vocational education. Currently in its third cohort of Innovation Scholars, St. Bakhita provides the opportunity to learn a vocational skill (tailoring, hair dressing, or catering), while also receiving foundational training in agroforestry, computers, financial management and entrepreneurship. Students at Saint Bakhita’s work closely with students at Notre Dame to collaborate on entrepreneurial innovations, and together work closely with the community to ensure innovations have a broad, positive impact on the economic prosperity of the region.
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Ultimately, this collaboration seeks to achieve three main goals.
Ensure the Innovation Scholars of Saint Bakhita’s Vocational Training Center have the skills training and support needed to thrive.
Support Saint Bakhita’s Vocational Training Center to be self-sustaining within 5 years.
Enable Saint Bakhita’s Vocational Training Center to improve the economic prosperity of the Agago District.
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St. Bakhita students are paving their own paths with an entrepreneurial framework designed to drive innovation. explore how their work is supporting their school, their families, their communities, and their dreams.
Narratives to
Powerful stories worth sharing, open up the St. Bakhita diary to read the personal accounts/memoirs of current Saint Bakhita’s Innovation Scholars as well as Notre Dame students working closely with SBVTC. Join us on our journey together.
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A Business Inside a Business School
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Stay Engaged & Up to Date
Never miss an update regarding opportunities to engage in future projects within the Powerful Means Initiative, learn more about St. Bakhita's and current projects developing at the school, as well as how you can support and get involved.
St.Bakhita by the Numbers
156
INNOVATION
SCHOLAR
GRADUATES
The Innovation Scholars program is designed to support Saint Bakhita’s in reimagining a new way to deliver vocational education. Scholars learn a vocational skill (tailoring, hair dressing, or catering), while also receiving foundational training in agroforestry, computers, financial management and entrepreneurship. Scholars work alongside students at the University of Notre Dame, and together, collaborate closely with the community.
52
INNOVATION
ACRES
The Innovation Acres is home to the TREES project (Teaching, Reforestation and Entrepreneurial Empowerment for Saint Bakhita’s). The foundational Saint Bakhita Innovation Scholars (Elizabeth, Nancy, Sharon, Falida, and Faida) received training in Agroforestry and helped to lead the community in planting 20,000 seedlings. A mix of charcoal trees and fruit trees, the TREES project aims to work towards combatting deforestation and creating new sources of revenue for Saint Bakhitas.
40
COMPUTERS
The Mary S. Pulido Technology Learning Center, a state of the art computer lab donated by benefactors, includes 40 state-of-the art computers, a mix of desktop and laptops, powered by solar and connected to the Internet. These computers empower the Innovation Scholars to learn valuable computer skills and enable them to participate in virtual collaboration and tutoring with students at the University of Notre Dame.
8
INNOVATIONS
LAUNCHED
Saint Bakhita Innovation Scholars in collaboration with the students at the University of Notre Dame have designed, developed, and launched 8 foundational innovations so far focused on renewable energy, access to safe and clean drinking water, improving sustainability, alleviating poverty, and improving access to education.
