Humana People to People Educational and Training Foundation (the Foundation) is a Swiss non-governmental organisation, officially registered under the Registre du Commerce de Geneve, Switzerland, with IDE CHE-213.021.797.
The Foundation’s purpose is “to contribute to development projects and charitable activities worldwide, in particular educational programmes and projects undertaken by “The Federation for Associations connected to the International Humana People to People Movement (FAIHPP)… or any other member organisation of “FAIHPP”.”
In its sixth year, the Foundation has funded education projects in Malawi, Mozambique, and Namibia, and has given additional grants to advocate for vocational skills for youth.
The Foundation values investment in education as it can help transform people’s social and economic conditions, including those of entire communities. Education is a precondition for development, the foundation for peace, solidarity, inclusiveness, and sustainable development. Peace is not a static condition. It is a dynamic process that requires the active engagement of people and communities and the establishment of norms and institutions that allow human well-being to flourish.
It is a dynamic process that requires the active engagement of people and communities, and the establishment of norms and institutions that allow human well-being to flourish.
In 2024, the Foundation received dividends of US$1,081,315 from Humana Social Enterprises Europe, with US$655,000 given as grants, and the rest set aside for future use.
Activities in 2024
Education is undoubtedly one of the pillars of any society. Even more so in countries still struggling to build their institutions of democracy, production and welfare for their people. It is a huge task, which on a global level is taken care of by public institutions at 80-90%. It doesn’t take a very close look to see that there is a crisis. Huge strides have been taken in the least developed countries to get children to school. They need reading and writing skills, and they need to master calculations and other mathematical operations.
Equally important, children and youth must also be able to cooperate, willing to act in solidarity with others, and encouraged to seek new avenues to meet today’s and tomorrow’s challenges. Without these elements, education would not have filled its place as a pillar of society building. They also need education for their own sake. Being together and coexisting with others through life might be the safest way to achieve a life of hope and happiness.
The Foundation supports long-term educational activities such as teacher training, vocational training, and advocacy for education for all. We support the training of teachers to work in rural primary schools under challenging conditions, and we help young people acquire vocational skills and develop the ability to use those skills to earn a living and contribute to the development of their communities.
In 2024, the Foundation continued supporting DAPP Malawi’s Teacher Training programme and Solidar Suisse’s Vocational Training for Youth in Mozambique. DAPP Namibia’s Vocational School, two of ADPP Mozambique’s Teacher Training Colleges, and ISET One-World, an institute of higher learning, are new educational activities supported in 2024.
Furthermore, the Foundation has funded the “Africa Skills Revolution” advocacy campaign in partnership with the African Union’s AUDA- NEPAD agency.
Supporting DAPP Malawi’s Teacher Training programme
DAPP Malawi Teacher Training programme aims to complement the government’s efforts to improve the quality of education in rural primary schools. They aim at reducing the teacher-pupil ratio, which is currently very high, with an average of 1:90 learners against the recommended ratio of 1:60. DAPP Malawi is committed to the training of teachers, who are motivated to work under challenging conditions in hard-to- reach areas and support children to have access to quality education. The training specifically includes elements to stengthen this motivation.
In 2024, DAPP Teacher Training College Chilangoma received US$40.000 and DAPP Teacher Training College Dowa received US$35.000 in grants from the Foundation. DAPP Malawi’s approach to teacher training allows student teachers to learn the professional skills of a teacher while also engaging with colleagues, parents, and communities around the college and the practice schools.
DAPP Teacher Training College Chilangoma had 286 student teachers in two teams. Team 2023, with 132 student teachers, carried out teaching practice until July. After completing two terms at the college, they sat for their examinations in September. Team 2024, with its 154 student teachers, started their training in April 2024.
DAPP Teacher Training College Dowa trained 194 student teachers in 2024. The college had 96 students from Team 2023 and 98 student teachers from Team 2024. Team 2023 will complete their training by writing national examinations as their final assessment in March 2025.
As part of the training, the colleges offered community lessons in adult literacy and environmental protection, implemented by student teachers. As a contribution to early childhood development, the colleges trained caregivers for community-based preschools and improved the preschool infrastructure.
Supporting ADPP Mozambique Teacher Training Programme
ADPP Teacher Training programme aims to improve the quality of primary education in Mozambique. The Teacher Training Colleges are unique because they educate teachers who can respond to the realities of rural communities where most of the population lives. The holistic education programmes address local economic, social, and cultural factors, creating bridges between schools and communities, teachers- students-parents, and students and school management.
In addition to their curriculum studies, the student teachers participate in cultural, social, and community activities, which are crucial for them to develop and become dedicated and passionate primary school teachers, resourceful enough to adapt to any environment and impact the children’s lives. Agricultural and horticultural productions prepare the student teachers to face challenges of food security in their future positions as teachers, at the same time as they contribute to a healthy menu at the colleges through their own efforts.
The colleges use inclusive, innovative, and participatory methodologies to ensure that the student teachers achieve personal experiences in the most engaging and most effective ways of learning. Only then will they be able to offer similar teaching to their own students. As part of the training, the student teachers have individual and collective responsibilities, building academic and life skills. During intensive pedagogical practice, the student teachers receive immediate feedback in classroom settings, enabling them to improve their teaching methods immediately. This ensures that they leave the college ready to impact the lives of their learners. In 2024, ADPP Teacher Training College Chimoio received US$100.000 and ADPP Teacher Training College Nhamatanda received US$100.000 from the Foundation.
In 2024, the Teacher Training College Chimoio had 152 students enrolled in the three-year teacher training programme. In December 2024, 52 students graduated. The college supports the Graduated Teachers Network within Manica province by organising meetings where participants exchange experiences and support each other professionally.
In 2024, 57 students graduated from Teacher Training College Nhamatanda. The TTC enrolled 59 new students for the three-year teacher training program. In total, there have been 184 students, as there were 59 and 66 students enrolled in the 2022 team and 2023 team, respectively. The college also supported the Graduated Teachers’ Network within Sofala province to ensure that students who graduate from this college and now work in primary schools, continue to have technical support and for their professional growth.
ISET-One World
ADPP Mozambique’s institute of higher learning, ISET–One World, received US$185,000.
In 2024, ISET-One World offered the Bachelor’s Courses of Pedagogy, Education for Community Development, and Education for the Environment; a Master’s Course in Pedagogy and Didactics, distance learning in the same courses, and a Bachelor’s Course in Teaching Portuguese. Since the establishment of ISET-One World, 1,264 students have graduated with Bachelor’s Degrees, including 276 distance learning graduates, and 11 have graduated with Master’s Degrees.
The institution reached 10,000 people through its students and teachers, especially in the communities around ISET-One World, and through teacher capacity-building in student-centred and practice-oriented learning.
Supporting DAPP Namibia Vocational School
The Foundation supported DAPP Namibia Vocational Training School with US$60.000.
DAPP Namibia Vocational Training School promotes vocational training and the integration of young adults into the labour market. The courses are fully accredited by the Namibia Qualification Authority until 2026.
In 2024, the Vocational Training School offered two main courses: Preschool of the Future Teacher Training and Agriculture, mainly focusing on horticulture. A smaller programme for students in level 3 on bricklaying and plastering was also carried out.
The programmes focus on fuelling the participants’ curiosity, providing them with professional skills through theoretical and practical training. 42 students in their first year from the Preschool of the Future Teacher Training programme went through an all-around training based on a variety of experiences in addition to their pedagogical studies. They embarked on a study travel in their country, community actions, working with parents, practice in kindergartens and pre-primary classes, and growing vegetables, so they became generally capable, experienced, and responsible teachers.
A total of 35 students joined level 2 in horticulture and crop husbandry. The trainees enjoyed the practical part of their lessons through educational trips to established agricultural sites like the Ogongo Agricultural Campus. They engaged in farming tasks such as soil preparation with home-made compost, maintaining irrigation systems, making plots, planting, thinning and weeding – improving and caring for soil.
Solidar Swiss – Vocational Training for Young People
In 2024, the Foundation continued supporting Solidar Suisse, a Swiss non-profit organisation headquartered in Zurich, to run vocational training for youth. Solidar Suisse received grants of US$25,000.
Solidar Suisse collaborates with several training institutions in central Mozambique, supports the establishment of start-ups for young entrepreneurs and assists visually impaired students with vocational training.
The project started as a pilot in 2016 after analysing challenges faced by the youth in Mozambique. It assisted young people in accessing professional training / vocational education to improve their employability and entrepreneurship, thereby increasing their income.
A total of 5,228 participated in professional training, and 1,264 successfully trained in Vocational and Education Training. Adolescents and young adults, both men and women, now have access to professional training or vocational education to acquire skills and competencies adapted to the specific needs and opportunities of the local economy.
The disabled and marginalised adolescents have not been left out, as they need to acquire skills for improving their income as well.
Supporting AUDA-NEPAD Africa Skills Revolution
Inspired by the African Union’s Year for Education 2024 and with the aim to recognize and share successful career paths and inspiring stories among Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) across African youth, AUDA-NEPAD and the Humana People to People Educational and Training Foundation partnered to launch the “Africa Skills Revolution” initiative.
The plan for the campaign was as follows:
July 2024: World Youth Skills Day Campaign Launch
The campaign was officially launched with an online event featuring a multi-stakeholder panel discussion on the World Youth Skills Day.
August 2024: Competition Launch
The Skills Revolution Competition kicked off in Naivasha, Kenya, at the ATUPA Annual International Conference, and applications were open until 26 September.
September 2024: Survey Launch.
In September, during back-to-school time, an online survey was launched to gather youth perspectives on TVET and skills development in Africa.
October 2024: Competition Awards Ceremony.
The Awards Ceremony, during which the winners were announced, was held in Accra, Ghana, during Africa Skills Week. It also featured a multi-stakeholder panel discussion.
November 2024: Africa Youth Month.
The campaign culminated in November, coinciding with Africa Youth Month. During this time, the campaign celebrated by sharing the invaluable knowledge gained and spreading the inspiring success stories far and wide, highlighting the youth’s incredible impact and potential.
Through these activities, valuable data, insights, and potential solutions have been collected, compiled into different communication materials, and evidence- based recommendations for strengthening TVET systems have been provided, aligning them with the aspirations of Africa’s youth. A report about the survey was produced and will be presented in the first half of 2025 at various occasions, as well as in an online version, followed by a social media campagin. In this way, the Africa Skills Revolution will influence the policy making in Africa.
TThe African Union has since expanded the Year of Education to the Decade for Education.