Raising African Skills to World Class Standards
Trade School Technology Transfer
African Skills and Development Group Ltd. was established in 2024 as a sister organization to GFP International to serve as a project management implementation team for welding school modernization projects across Africa and provide a conduit for graduates of industrial welding schools who have been taught the skills for an industrial work force. Current practices in welding schools outside of South Africa only teach ornamental welding skills, which do not prepare students to meet the needs of the coming industrialization boom in Africa.
GFP International is a non-profit organization whose mission is to support the upgrading of trade skill education in Africa as described on its website found at this link:https://www.gfp-intl.org/
This page provides a brief history of GFP International and African Skills and Development Group Ltd.
A Brief History in Pictures
Global Faith Partners (now GFP International) has been engaged in East African education since 2005. In 2022, GFP International expanded its mission to focus on the trade school sector, and formed African Skills and Development Group as a sister organization to supports its mission. For the last three years, GFP and African Skills and Development Group Ltd. have completed a deep evaluation of welding training in East Africa as noted in the map and pictures below.
June 2022
Michael Vallez, Founder of GFP International and African Skills and Development Group Ltd. meeting with Hon January Makamba, Tanzanian Minister of Energy
June 2022
Michael Vallez, Founder of GFP International and African Skills and Development Group Ltd. meeting with Father Waldemar Jonatowski, Principal of Don Bosco Vocational School, Dar es Salaam
June 2022
Michael Vallez, Founder of GFP International and African Skills and Development Group Ltd. meeting with Mr. Joseph Mwanda, Principal of VETA Vocational School, Dar es Salaam.
June 2022
Michael Vallez, Founder of GFP International and African Skills and Development Group Ltd. meeting with Mr. Khalid Songoro, President of Songoro Marine shipbuilders in Dar es Salaam.
October 2022
Michael Vallez, Founder of GFP International and African Skills and Development Group Ltd. accepting the walking stick gift from Matambile Mgemaa, Massai leader near Ruaha National Park.
October 2022
Michael Vallez, Founder of GFP International and African Skills and Development Group Ltd. meeting with Mr. Stanslaus Mtibara, Principal of VETA Dodoma.
The next opportunity, Electrical.
October 2022
Michael Vallez, Founder of GFP International and African Skills and Development Group Ltd. and Dunford Mpelumbe meeting with Father Boniface Mchami, Principal of Don Bosco Technical School and his instructors in Dodoma, Tanzania.
January 2023
With Mr. Fihili Challenge, DAB Coordinator, and Ms. Anna Nyoni, Curriculum Developer,
Vocational Training and Education Authority (VETA)
January 2023
GFP leaders and advisors with welding students at the VETA School in Linde, Tanzania
January 2023
Special Partnering Meeting with Dr. Noel Mbonde, Director of Technical Education and Hon Adolf Mkenda, Member of Parliament, and Minister of Education, Republic of Tanzania.
January 2023
With Mr. Anthony Kasore, Director General of VETA
(Oversees 43 existing training centers with 23 under construction)
January 2023
Ryan Eubank, GFP Advisor, doing some coaching with one of the welding students.
January 2023
With Mr. Khalid Songoro, President, Songoro Marine and Shipbuilding, the largest employer of welders in Tanzania.
January 2023
GFP International leadership and advisory team with VETA Principal Harry Mmari and his team at VETA school in Lindi Tanzania.
January 2023
Ryan Eubank enjoying the camaraderie with future welders in Lindi, Tanzania.
January 2023
With Mr. Ally Msaki, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Employment and Skills Development, Republic of Tanzania
January 2023
With Father Waldemar Jonatowski, Principal of Don Bosco Trade School, Dar es Salaam
January 2023
Enjoying an evening over dinner with a Tanzanian Welders Association (Sadly, none of these men or their welder friends could get hired on the EACOP Pipeline Project)
August 2023
Michael Vallez, Founder of GFP International and African Skills and Development Group Ltd. with Tanzanian Ambassador to the U.S., H.E. Elise Kanza
September 2023
With Dr. Violet Kajubiri Froelich and Uganda’s Education Service Commission she Chairs.
September 2023
With the Leadership of the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET_ Authority in Kenya
September 2023
Nakawa Technical Training Center, Kampala Uganda
September 2023
At the Don Bosco St. Joseph Vocational Training Center, Kamuli, Uganda
September 2023
At the Morendat Institute of Oil and Gas, Kenya Pipeline Company, Nairobi, Kenya
September 2023
Lugogo Vocational Training Institute, Kampala, Uganda
September 2023
Mkokotoni Vocational Training Center Zanzibar Vocational Training Authority
September 2023
At the Karume Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) Republic of Zanzibar
September 2023
At Don Bosco Gatenga Vocational School, Kigali, Rwanda
October 2023
Mike Vallez, Hilu Bura and Nancy Halden, at the African Investment Conference London, England
November 2023
At the South African Institute of Welding (SAIW) in Johannesberg, S. Africa
November 2023
With Engineer Zena Said, First Secretary, United Republic of Zanzibar
November 2023
With Hon Lela Mussa, Zanzibar Minister of Education and Vocational Training
November 2023
At Don Bosco Boys Town Vocational Training Center, Nairobi, Kenya
November 2023
With the Rwanda TVET Board, Kigali, Rwanda
January 2023
GFP International Chairman and Welding Advisory Team with Dr. Noel Mbonde, Tanzanian Director of Technical Education. From left to right: Nick Price, Director of Welding Training at Davis County Technical School, Ogden, Utah; Ryan Eubank, welding consultant and trainer, Cleveland, Ohio; Dr. Noel Mbonde, Director of Technical Training, Dodoma Tanzania; Michael Vallez, Chairman/CEO of GFP International, Salt Lake City, Utah; Subu Mpapane, South African metallurgical engineer, industrial contractor, welding expert.
January 2024
With Leaders at the American Welding Society
Back Row. Left to Right
Left to Right, (unknown), Richard Arn, V.P., Welding and Technology; Michael Vallez, Founder, GFP International; Cassandra Scheffer, Director of Accreditation; Efram Abrams, Senior Sales Executive; Nathan Carter,
Front Row, Left to Right
Brenda Boddiger, Program Manager, Qualification & Certification; Stephen Snyder, Regional Director, Welding Technology Services-Asia, Africa, Oceania
May 2024 East African Lecture Tour
Currently, there are no trade schools in East Africa that are sufficiently equipped or staffed to teach modern industrial welding.
In May 2024, an East African lecture tour was conducted by GFP International Founder Michael Vallez and project manager Brian Masicha. AWS executives, Steve Snyder and Ramesh Shankaran joined for the Nairobi Kenya portion of the tour, as well as Dr. Kipikirui, Director General/CEO of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority; Dr. Paul Wanyeki, Deputy Director of the Kenya TVET, and Mr. Ruto Lyoba, Director of the East African Institute of Welding. The group visited and spoke with technical and vocational schools. Speaking to nearly 1,000 students, these young men and women learned about the key role of welding in an industrial economy. It is hoped that they will become advocates for positive change in the quality of trade skill training, and industrial welding.
Kenya Portion
Kenya School of TVET
Kabete National Polytechnic
Kiambui Institute of Science and Technology
Technical University of Mombasa
The Kenya Coast National Polytechnic
Bandari Marine Technology
Kabete National Polytechnic
Kiambui Institute of Science and Technology
Technical University of Mombasa
The Kenya Coast National Polytechnic
Bandari Marine Technology
Rwanda Tour
St. Charles de Jesus Trade School
ADEF TVET School
Gacuriro Technical School
ADEF TVET School
Gacuriro Technical School
Zanzibar Tour
Karume Institute of Science and Technology
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Tour
Don Bosco Oyster Bay Vocational School
University of Dar es Salaam, School of Engineering and Technology
University of Dar es Salaam, School of Engineering and Technology
