International Partners

Youth Matters has forged a variety of links abroad over the passed few years. The countries in which we have parnters outside of the UK are Sierra Leone and South Africa with a growing link and interest in Moldova.

Sierra Leone

Youth Matters supports the development of work in Sierra Leone through a partnership with Maranatha Ministries.

This church based organisation is seeking to bring education into remote areas of Sierra Leone.

From a very humble tin hut (school) with 200 children attending each day, the partnership has been able to build another six very humble tin huts (schools) and has over 2500 attending on a daily basis. The daily attendance on the Roll Call board rounded up at the end of the week says 2347 children attended Maranatha primary school, eight years ago attendance was 800 per week.

Recovering from a very cruel civil war that devastated an already poverty stricken country, the work of Maranatha Ministry is immensely important. From the fear and cruelty of life, the development of the schools programme is educating a new generation of children and young people. Imagine if a child from one of Maranatha schools one day became the president of Sierra Leone…

The addition of a vocational school provide the opportunity to train people in skills that will help them bring in an income, clothing and feeding their families and contributing to local community economies. The vocational schools provide training in Batik, fabric making and tailoring,  ICT, carpentry and hair and beauty treatments. Many young men and woman have learned a new skill and have something that can positively provide an income for the rest of their lives.

Maranatha Ministry is continuing to develop its mission work, they have seen the growth in church numbers increase from about 70 to over 300. Many young men and woman have undertaken vocational training to become Pastors.

Working in tandem with Maranatha Ministries Youth Matters is very proud to be associated with the work being undertaken in Sierra Leone.

South Africa

Schooltrade based in Pietermaritzburg, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa is seeking to bring practical support to schools based in the townships that are in the Kwazulu Natal province. Many of the school do not have basic equipment; have poor classrooms, with broken windows, no electricity and so on. Schooltrade works with local organisations and companies recycling unused equipment and products that can be given to the local schools. When it can, it provides training and support through mentoring programmes, again provided by local businesses. Youth Matters is a partner of Schooltrade; supporting a particular school, and Schooltrade as an organisation. We see the work of Schooltrade as important part of our overseas partnerships

In addition to our links with Schooltrade we have developed a relationship with 'School Leavers Opportunity Training' (SLOT) who are also based in Piertermaritzburg.

"SLOT Endeavors to help unemployed out of school youth, improve their chances of employment. Since its inception some 10,000 youth have passed through SLOT with the direct employment figures being over 40%. Considering the national average is 7% this is something we are proud of. At the very least we believe that every youth that has been through the Life Skills phase will have had a life changing experience."

Moldova

Over the past few years we have been updated on works in Moldova of the charity Central Eastern European Ministries. We are looking at the ways in which Youth Matters can best support the work of the charity.