From the street to skilled: vocational training in Sodo, Ethiopia

In southern Ethiopia, Busajo Onlus gives former street children a second chance through vocational education. In collaboration with PUM, the centre is gaining a professional boost, improving teaching quality, product standards, and business opportunities for young students ready to build a better future. Expert Gerard Schoemaker was the first to visit the centre, working with the carpentry and furniture trainers. He will soon be followed by fellow PUM experts in soap and detergent production and metal fabrication.  

Strengthening education

Upon arrival, Gerard was impressed by the cleanliness, structure and motivation on campus. The young trainees, he noted, “were are eager to learn and motivated to the bone”. Working alongside the trainers and students, Gerard focused on upgrading the carpentry and upholstery workshops. He inspected the existing machinery, organised repairs, and reinstalled essential safety protections. Together with the team, he reactivated an extraction system that had long been out of use and introduced more professional working practices.  

He also coached trainers on delivering more hands-on assignments, enabling students to gain real-world experience rather than focusing mainly on finishing and polishing. Gerard also advised Busajo’s management team on commercial development. Discussions included creating a small on-campus showroom to display and sell products, improving price calculation, and planning for the purchase of essential machines such as a vertical and horizontal bandsaw. These investments will allow Busajo to process timber more efficiently and produce higher-value furniture. 

Impact that lasts

The project led to immediate improvements in workshop organisation, machine safety and teaching quality. Trainers reported greater confidence in using and maintaining equipment and in guiding students through practical assignments that mirror real production environments. 

The enhanced product quality has already resulted in stronger sales potential for the Busajo centre. The organisation plans to use these revenues to strengthen its Income Generating Activities, supporting its transition towards a self-sustaining social enterprise. 

Beyond the technical outcomes, the social impact is profound. Each student at Busajo Campus represents a life redirected; from surviving on the streets to acquiring a profession that can sustain them and their families. The improved training programmes will open doors to employment and entrepreneurship, creating ripple effects in Sodo and surrounding communities. 

The next phase will focus on acquiring the new machines and expanding partnerships with local businesses, ensuring that graduates from Busajo Onlus can find apprenticeships or launch their own workshops. With continued collaboration between Busajo and PUM experts across different expertise fields, including soap, metal, textile and bakery, this initiative is laying the foundation for a more inclusive and skilled generation of Ethiopian craftspeople.