YES Programs

MENU  

STORIES


YES Alumni Grant: Interlocking Tile Training

A Group Stands Around An Interlocking Tile Project Done By A Participant During The Final Exhibition And Closing Ceremony

By Kamal Adamu (YES 2005-2006, Nigeria, placed by IRIS in Des Moines, IA)

My YES program experience in Des Moines, Iowa is one of the biggest reasons why I am excelling in my career as an architect. At Theodore Roosevelt High School, I took a class called Technology Today, and it made a lasting impact and fueled my passion for architecture. When I returned to Nigeria after my exchange year, I was inspired and motivated to follow my dream. My sincere gratitude goes to my placement organization, IRIS, and my American host family, the Delaneys, for giving me this wonderful opportunity to realize my potential and for bringing out the best in me.

Participants Are Removing The Interlocking Tiles From A Mold

My city, Zaria, is one of the most historic cities in Nigeria. It is one of the original seven Hausa city-states, and its history goes back to at least the 1450s. Zaria is home to many traditional artisans, working with crafts like leather, dyeing, cap making, tin smithing, and furniture making. It is also a center of the textile industry, and for over 200 years, has been known for elaborate, hand embroidered robes worn by men around the globe.

Zaria also boasts the largest university in Nigeria and second largest in Africa, Ahmadu Bello University. I, along with 20 other YES alumni, am a proud alumnus of the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University. There are currently about 15 YES alumni studying there as well.

An Action Photo Of A Group Of People Casting On A Vibration Machine To Achieve Maximum Compaction Of Concrete Mixture Inside The Mold

Zaria is also teeming with youth that have incredible potential for artistry, sculpture, and motif designs. This natural affinity to craftsmanship and showcasing artistic talents led me to consider ways I could contribute to the professional development of youth and reduce the high rate of youth unemployment in my community, which is how my YES Alumni Grant project idea came to life.

With recent developments in the construction industry, working with interlocking tile is a skill in very high demand. It is very trendy right now, with residential areas, public parks, schools, and places of worship being designed interlocking tile for the beautiful aesthetic it adds. Therefore, I designed a project to teach youth the skills needed to gain employment in interlocking tile work. 

Trainer And Large Group Of Participants Are Walking Around A Quarry Where Stones Are Crushed Doing A Market Survey

From August to October, I, along with my team of two alumni and eight non-alumni volunteers, trained 35 unemployed youth, ages 20 to 25, to work with interlocking tiles. Participants learned how to use the required tools and materials and how to design, cast, and lay the tile patterns. Participants also learned how to find job opportunities, either in local factories or through self-employment, and marketing strategies should they start their own businesses. During the final week of training, participants competed against one another for creating the best tile project, and the three top performing participants received prizes. Community elders and local government council members attended the closing ceremony and exhibition.

One of the biggest successes of the project so far is that four of the participants have already accepted jobs at a local interlocking tile factory. One participant noted, “I have been unemployed since I graduated from secondary school. The skills I have now acquired have changed my life. I can work independently and save money to go to university.” Participants also reported having gained self-esteem and a stronger sense of self-worth in the process of learning these new skills. Getting this feedback from participants along with the overwhelming support of the community, I feel like a hero. 

Project Leader Is Presenting An Award To One Of The Best Performing Participants During The Closing Ceremony

I am optimistic that these skills will go a long way in the development of these youths and the community. We are currently looking for sponsors for additional skills acquisition training programs, and I hope to invite some of these participants to be trainers in future programs. My team and I have appealed for support from the local government authority, and we hope to also attract the attention of local organizations, politicians, and philanthropists who may wish to contribute to the development of the community, the state, and the nation through future training programs.

I cannot conclude without showing my profound gratitude to the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the YES program, the YES director at IRIS-Nigeria Dr. Saidu Yakubu, our head trainer Abdulwahab Umar, my fellow YES alumni, my project team, the participants and their parents, and my family for their support towards the successful completion of this wonderful project.


Share: