Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a key country in South-Asian region. The country is surrounded by India and China in northeast and shares its western border with Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. While on southwest lies Iran and in the South lies the Arabian Sea. Pakistan has four provinces namely; Sind, Baluchistan, Punjab and North-West Frontier Province.

The Human Development Index is a statistical device developed by UNDP to compare the quality of life in different countries. The index measures a variety of indicators including longevity and literacy. Pakistan is ranked at 132 out of a total of 173 countries.

The capital of North-West Frontier Province is Peshawar. The Christian Vocational Training Centre is located in Mardan, 70 km from Peshawar.

The Christian Vocational Training Centre was opened in 1986 to offer technical training to boys from the minority Christian community in NWFP. This community is mainly descended from land-less peasants who migrated from Punjab as they followed the British Army. Thus the Christian community today is located in garrison towns like Mardan, Peshawar, Nowshera, Dera Ismail Khan, Kohat, Bannu and so on.

Christians in Pakistan are often descended from low-caste Hindus who converted to Christianity. Despite their conversion they remained tied and identified to the social and economic class of their forefathers. Today the Christian community is regarded as a community of sweepers and drain cleaners; people firmly stuck at the bottom end of Pakistani society. The combination of being involved in filthy work, living in overcrowded, poor housing with bad sanitation means that many Christians have low self-respect and a poor self-image. They are often poorly educated and so suffer from a lack of skills and opportunity to be able to change their jobs and improve their lifestyle. One study revealed that 63% of Christian employees in the Federal and Provincial civil services are in the bottom two grades while only 2% are in the upper middle or high grades. A similar story is found in the Federally controlled public sector where 87% of Christian employees are in the lowest three levels and only 0.2% are in he highest three levels.

This lack of opportunity, which has existed for generations, has also created a ghetto mentality. Many people feel defensive and inward looking. They cannot imagine themselves being anything other than sweepers, the job that Christians have had a monopoly on for so long. However, things are changing. A small but increasing number of Christian men and women are completing their education, some even continuing to college or university. Qualifications are seen as a way of economic advancement although graduate unemployment is growing in Pakistan. Another important change is that Muslims are now doing sweeping jobs. Only a few years ago this would have been unimaginable, such is the stigma attached to this work. With prices and unemployment both rising rapidly it seems that significant numbers of Muslims are prepared to take these jobs.

That is the background situation facing the Christian community in NWFP today. The need is to prepare increasing numbers of young Christian men for employment in jobs other than sweeping, jobs, which are more rewarding financially and socially. CVTC is playing a part in giving an opportunity for economic improvement and increased employment prospects among young Christian men, for cultural reasons it is not possible to include girls or women in the activities at CVTC.

Industrial activity in and around NWFP varies from factories supplying the military needs of the country (Pakistan has the fifth largest army in the world); private factories producing consumer and industrial goods; to micro- and meso-level enterprises operating in the local economy.

The main beneficiaries from this project will be young Christian men who enroll for training in the new trades. The skills and values they learn will enable them to improve their employment opportunities, increase their earnings potential and be able to contribute positively to their communities. They will be role models for younger boys who will see that there are alternative lifestyles and job opportunities for those who are prepared to invest in education and training.

Through this program we are able to provide valuable training to young Christian men that will improve their employability, increase their earning power and their self-esteem. For the Christian community and the country to develop it is vital that more people acquire at least basic education and technical skills.

Technical training is obviously needed to meet the demand for skilled labor in both the formal and informal economies in developing countries.

There are no minimum entry qualifications although candidates must usually be between 14 and 19 years of age.

At the end of the training period the trainee is able to compete in the local market.

Through this program we are able to provide valuable training to young Christian boys that will improve their employability, increase their earning power and their self-esteem. For the Christian community and the country to develop it is vital that more people acquire at least basic education and technical skills. 

Structural Set Up:

Introduction

The syllabus at CVTC is completely self-designed, aimed at teaching the boys who attend to carry out the tasks they are most likely to be called upon to perform in the marketplace. Through a system of follow-up and support, we try to help ex-trainees to find work, and to offer as much help and support as possible, in whatever form they need.

The training centre provides hostel accommodation for up to 100 boys. The trainees do all of the cleaning in the building and are responsible for washing their own clothes. Those with less than five years formal education attend a daily Adult Literacy class. We also include a Christian Education component using materials produced by the Open Theological Seminary in Lahore. We also take great care to maintain a Christian environment for the boys to grow in. We earn around 30% of our running costs through production work each year.

Through this program we are able to provide valuable training to young Christian boys that will improve their employability, increase their earning power and their self-esteem.

The trainees, while they are at CVTC are indulged in various activities ranging from out door games to education tours.

The training centre has a huge ground where trainees can play either soccer or cricket. Twice a year, Inter-workshop cricket tournament is organised.

The trainees are also provided with table tennis and the sport is quite popular among the students.

The centre has provided the trainees a small library. However, we look forward to improve our library with more technical books, materials and furniture.

The trainees are also given Adult Literacy Education through Development Board, which is a sister organisation.

Christian Education is provided through Open Theological Seminary material by our staff.

The trainees are also provided with an opportunity to watch Christian movie at the end of weekend.

The trainees are also taken out to visit local market to get first hand experience of their field.

They are also taken out to visit factories, relevant to their workshops as part of their study tour.

Admission starts each year in the month of August and the new session begins from September 1st. Following documents are required at the time of admission.