Design Thinking Africa partners with The Technical and Vocational Teachers College (TVTC) in Zambia to launch a Goldsmith and Precision Gem Cutting Programs.
Design Thinking Africa (DTA), a Danish NGO focused on skill development and job creation in Zambia’s extractive communities, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Technical & Vocational Teacher Training Center (TVTC) in Luanshya, Zambia. This partnership will introduce the country’s first goldsmith training program, beginning in January 2025, alongside a precision gem cutting program tailored for unemployed female gem cutters.
DTA will assist TVTC in developing comprehensive curricula for these programs, in collaboration with a leading UK goldsmith training institution. These initiatives align with Zambia’s new Technical Education, Vocational, and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) policy, which aim at enhancing the nation’s skills development framework.
“We are thrilled to partner with TVTC to offer training that leads to meaningful job opportunities in Zambia’s jewellery and lapidary industry. By aligning our Design Thinking for Extractive Communities flagship program with the TEVET policy, we aim to build a skilled workforce that will contribute significantly to Zambia’s economic growth.” - Patricia Inonge Mweene, Design Thinking Africa Executive Director
The goldsmith training program is a continuation of the recently concluded Design Thinking for Extractive Communities pilot program, implemented with support from the MEJURI Empowerment Fund to up-skill unemployed female gem cutters in Ndola. Additionally, the new precision gem cutting program will meet the needs of European fine jewellery houses, providing precision cut Zambian gemstones required by the high-end jewellery industry.
Both programs will combine theoretical knowledge and practical skills in jewellery design, gemstone setting, metal piercing, soldering, and more. Graduates will receive diplomas as professional goldsmiths and precision gem cutters, opening doors to employment in Zambia’s growing jewellery and lapidary industry.
"As the principal of TVTC, we are thrilled to partner with DESIGN THINKING AFRICA on our new Goldsmith and precision cutting training program. This collaboration marks a pivotal step towards enhancing local value addition in Zambia's rich gemstone, gold, and silver industries. By equipping our students with advanced skills and competencies, we aim to transform Zambia into a hub for high-quality, finished jewellery production, thereby retaining greater economic benefits within our borders." - Harrison Phiri, Principal Technical & Vocational Teacher Training Center
About Design Thinking Africa:
Design Thinking Africa is a Danish NGO founded in 2023, dedicated to promoting skills development and job creation in Africa. Design Thinking Africa connects entrepreneurs, educators, and industry leaders to foster sustainable development through human-centered design, empowering extractive communities in Africa to have a voice in the global supply chain and promoting creativity and problem-solving for a prosperous future.
About Technical & Vocational Teacher Training Center:
The Technical & Vocational Teacher Training Center in Luanshya, Zambia, established in July 1975, offers certification programs in various technical fields and vocational teacher education. Since January 2000, it has operated as a management board under the Technical Education, Vocational, and Entrepreneurship Training Act No. 13 of 1998, with diploma programs affiliated with the University of Zambia and degree programs with Copperbelt University.
For more information or to get involved with the goldsmith and precision gem cutting programs, please contact Patricia Inonge Mweene: hello@designthinkingafrica.org.
Patricia Inonge Mweene
Executive Director,
Design Thinking Africa
2-7-2024
