In its continuing efforts to provide the tools for self-improvement for youth at risk, Shaalei Tikva is planning two ambitious undertakings that will take place at the Bayit Cham site in the low-income Narkis section in Beit Shemesh.

The first is a computer technician’s vocational training course for young Ethiopian adults, which will be held in the Bayit Cham computer room. The project will entail the purchase of eight computers along with the hiring a course instructor and program coordinator. Goals will include: Providing technological learning skills in hardware, software, assembly, disassembly, troubleshooting and mission management. Moreover, participants in the program will be encouraged to acquire better English language skills to build confidence, improve self-expression and work in a computer environment.

The initial stage of the project is targeted for around twenty Ethiopian youth who at the end of the course, which will consist of 15 four-hour meetings, will receive a Computer Technician Certificate from the Tapuach organization in cooperation with Intel and Google.

In parallel, Shaalei Tikva is planning a basic plumbing training course which promises to improve Narkis residents’ day-to-day economic woes. The neighborhood’s buildings are beset with decaying piping systems which the local residents cannot afford to repair or replace. To help residents avoid the exorbitant costs of plumbing maintenance, Shaalei Tikva has initiated a basic plumbing training course targeted for 20 unemployed male adults over 60 learning hours. Participants will learn such rudimentary skills as: unclogging blocked sinks and fixing leaking faucets and toilets. They will be able to make simple repairs in their own homes and around the neighborhood for a nominal fee, generating savings of hundreds of thousands of shekels a year for local residents. A more advanced professional training course will be open to those who complete the initial stage and wish to work professionally.

Both undertakings seek to improve the harsh economic conditions of the local Ethiopian community and help stabilize one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods.