Lundin Foundation, Africa Oil Handover Catering Facility at Lodwar Vocational Training Center
The Lundin Foundation, Africa Oil on Friday handed over the catering and hospitality facility at Lodwar Vocational Training Center in a ceremony presided over by Turkana governor Josephat Nanok. The new facility is part of the upgrade and expansion of the Lodwar Vocational Training Center launched by the foundation in 2015 where the emerging Oil and Gas sector, and likely auxiliary sectors, have been the catalyst for the initiative.
The catering and hospitality facility part of phase 2 of the project includes a restaurant and a commercial kitchen with capacity to cater to 20 students at a time.
The needed improvements that were recognized by the foundation in 2015 included curriculum development, faculty training, management capacity building and facility upgrades. In February 2016, the Foundation handed over two complete workshops; Electrical Installation and Plumbing and Pipe Fitting, to County Government and both are fully operational.
“This facility will play a critical role in equipping our youth with needed training with Turkana county expecting that other than oil and gas tourism will play a critical role in the county’s economy. Looking at the national parks, culture, human fossil discoveries, the beaches etc Turkana has all it needs to attract droves of visitors. This together with oil and gas will be key drivers of our economy,” Nanok told development partners and locals who were present.
The upgrades according to the Lundin foundation have been undertaken to support improvements in the quality and relevance of technical and vocational education and training in order to facilitate the development of skills relevant to Kenya’s growing economy and to reduce youth unemployment.
“We are delighted to partner with Lodwar Vocational Training Center as well as the county government in the upgrade of this institution. Our aim is to equip the local population with the necessary skills to access skills in the oil and gas sector with 60% of employment in the sector requiring technical and vocational training. We see LVTC playing a leading role in improving the availability and quality of technical and vocational training in Turkana consequently helping to meet the demand for qualified personnel in Turkana,” said Lundin Foundation Kenya acting country manager Eva Kigo.
About Lundin Foundation
The Lundin Foundation is a registered Canadian non-profit organization supported by the Lundin Group of Companies. We work closely with contributing partners to create shared value and build resilient communities everywhere we operate. We work with our corporate partners and stakeholders to improve the management of, and revenue streams from, resource development. Operating across diverse geographies, each with a unique cultural and socio-economic context, our aim is to ensure inclusive benefits for generations to come.
The Foundation embodies the entrepreneurial spirit of the Lundin Group of Companies. We create jobs, stimulate the economy, train workers and improve livelihoods for those living at or near the bottom of the economic pyramid. We design and implement strategic initiatives through the provision of capacity building, targeted technical assistance and performance-based funding. Since inception, the Foundation has disbursed $62 million in support of building resilient communities.
The Foundation is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada with regional offices in Chile, Ecuador, Ghana, Kenya and Botswana.