All smiles as BOAT trainees finish course

Seven East Africans who have studied for the past six weeks at Bicton College attended a farewell presentation at Broadhembury House.

The trainees, five from Kenya and two from Malawi, were sponsored on their course by BOAT (Bicton Overseas Agricultural Trust).

Chairman, David Wendover explained: “BOAT was set up in 1991 by a group of Devon farmers and the then Principal of Bicton College, all keen to help people in developing countries improve their livelihood by advancing the quality of agricultural education for rural communities.”

BOAT’s Institutional Management and Business Planning course, accredited by Plymouth University, is designed to help trainees - all mature students working in critical roles - to do their jobs better by updating and enhancing their skills.

As well as attending many lectures and seminars on issues faced in East Africa, the seven trainees visited the Devon County Show, where they met HRH The Countess of Wessex. Sophie Wessex had recently returned from Malawi to see programmes in Malawi working to end preventable blindness or visual impairment from trachoma, and had an animated discussion with James Longwe, who works on the project. James delivered the farewell speech at the Broadhembury presentation evening, too. He said:

“As we go back to Africa, we assure you that the enormous amount of knowledge and skills we have acquired will be put into use to benefit our brothers and sisters we represent back home.

“The knowledge acquired will be applicable to our individual lives, those around us in our organizations and communities we serve.”

One the original founders of BOAT, Bill Vellacott thanked the Devon County Agricultural Association for their support over the past 26 years giving space at the shows for the BOAT tractor stand, and Chris Jaworski from Bicton College who has overseen the restoration of 14 tractors. This has helped raise £200,000 which has helped sponsor visiting Africans.

The celebration event was hosted by Mike and Sarah Drewe, with trustees and friends of the charity in attendance. Click here to find out more about BOAT.