International cooperation uplifts local female foresters

FIFTEEN women enjoyed a 15-day training course to gain experience in the forestry industry.

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) spearheaded the initiative to afford participants a more realistic chance of securing jobs in the increasing challenging job market.

UNIDO, a specialized agency of the UN that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability, recently completed phase 1 of the ‘Revitalisation of Forest Training Centres’ in KZN for green employment.

It entailed brush saw training for female forestry contractors, which covered everything from the Safety, Health and Environment Act and setting up a work station in a plantation, to clearing a forest using a saw blade.

The agency reported the group of women displayed full commitment, not missing a single day of training.

‘This is a remarkable achievement taking into account that the majority of the trainees are single and are responsible for their households and families.

‘All the trainees expressed their sincere appreciation in being afforded an opportunity to partake in a training course.

‘Owing to the high level of unemployment in the area, especially for less educated women, courses of this nature will certainly afford them a more realistic chance of obtaining gainful employment, as well as possible opportunities for small enterprises,’ the agency said.

Additional benefits that came to light during the training were that certain small plantation growers in the immediate vicinity of the training sessions required urgent tending of their stands.

‘Because of financial and manpower constraints, they were unable to tend their stands to ensure optimal growth.

‘The trainees were then dispatched to conduct their practical training sessions in these stands to remove excess coppice regrowth and clean up the compartments.

‘This arrangement was extremely successful in that not only did the trainees receive practical hands-on experience, but the small growers also benefitted by having their stands cleared of undesirable stems and vegetation.‘

Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs has recently allocated phase 2 funding for UNIDO to support the engagement of companies in UNIDO’s Business Partnership activities, focusing on strengthening the capacity of under-developed countries, especially in the area of wood industry training.

UNIDO is working with local and international suppliers to make a dedicated effort to engage with and support the development of a dynamic micro and small-scale enterprise sector that has the potential to make an immediate impact on employment creation and income generation outcomes.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.

For news straight to your phone invite us:

WhatsApp – 072 069 4169

Instagram – zululand_observer