Empowering Men
In Local Communities
VO-Tech
Help Sponsor a Student
The total cost per sponsorship is $1800. If you wish to make a general one-time donation that will go towards the varies other cost of this program, send it directly to the address below specifying it to go to the New Hope Fund.
- Sponsor a student (with feedback) $1,800
- Co-Sponsor a student (with feedback) $900
- Co-Sponsor a student (with feedback) $900
What we do
Equip men with mechanical knowledge
New Hope Foundation is a vo-tech school operating in Ghana under Palm Ministries. The goal of the New Hope Program is to lead men to Christ and further their spiritual growth in addition to equipping others with Mechanical knowledge. A typical school day consist of an hour Bible lesson/life management class followed by an hour or two mechanical theory class. The remainder of the day is spent on hands-on repair teaching. Students have the opportunity to enroll in a 10-month program followed by a 6-month attachment, where they apprentice under another repair shop. If all requirements are completed, they receive certification and their own tools upon graduation. New Hope Foundation helps better equip men to support themselves materially, but more importantly plants spiritual seeds of truth. We strive:
- To provide the Word of Truth to the poverty-stricken souls in Africa, while teaching them to provide for themselves.
- To send men and women over to these villages to spread the Word of God and to evangelize by exemplifying the Word in normal life.
- To plant churches to provide Christian teaching to the natives and to provide accountability for their walk in Christ.
Testimony
...The Lord answered my prayer sometime later one day when I heard my phone ringing. They wanted me to help in training the new students coming to the training school. This skill training that I engaged in has helped me a lot. Through it I am able to support my family. I have also benefited greatly in character from the life building study each and every day...
Director | Duane Martin
Hello from Duane and Kaylene Martin. We are grateful for God’s work in our lives and for His leading us together. We both grew up in Pennsylvania though about an hour and half apart. Our small family was established in January of 2021. We greatly enjoy Keturah, the addition God has blessed us with in February of 2023. Duane has worked as a diesel mechanic for a number of years and currently is serving as the Administrator of the Mechanic Votech School. Kaylene spends most of her time around home and taking care of Keturah. Our prayer would be for God to guide our lives and for His grace to remain faithful.
Closer Glimpse
Read More about VO-TECH School
VO-Tech students start their day at 8. The first hour to an hour and a half is spent on Bible Study. The teachers take turns leading out, but everyone gets involved in discussions. The Bible can be interpreted in many ways and the goal is to use it to show them the Truth. Most of them have extensive Bible knowledge but very few have real convictions on core issues of Christianity.
After a short break, they dig into their books. They use a well-written curriculum that covers everything from safety to rebuilding transmissions and motors. The teachers take turns teaching this class and then several times a week one of them quizzes the students to be sure they are understanding everything.
By 11:30, they are changed into their overalls and ready to work in the shop. Each of the teachers is in charge of a project or sometimes two work on the same vehicle. The students are divided among them. The goal is to fix and maintain vehicles while teaching them the skills they are learning in the book. This is definitely the most challenging part of the day. Parts can be very difficult to find, but with the native teachers help in this it is going okay. Vehicles get very little maintenance, so re- pair jobs can be quite extensive. We have been blessed with steady work coming our way.
A term is 10 months long. The students pay a small monthly tuition and receive their books, uniforms and shoes. They are also provided with a meal every day. The tuition does not cover the cost of expenses but is necessary to keep them commit- ted to the program. At the end of the term, each student receives a letter of attachment. They need to work for someone for 6 months, usually for no pay, to prove their skills and gain experience. The employer signs the letter saying they have done a good job and they bring it back to the school. They will then receive their actual diploma and should be able to find work.
Last term there were four students and we saw remarkable changes in all of them. Being in a Bible study every day and working around Christian men had a huge influence on their characters. Our prayer is that as they go out and work, they can build up their society and remain strong Christian men.
Our vision is for this school to be able to function on its own with the Ghanaian teachers, with the missionary giving a general oversight.