In 2004, P2P started providing vocational training for young adults in collaboration with War Child Canada (with support from CIDA and the Stephen Lewis Foundation) to support orphans, especially those who have taken responsibilities of caring for their siblings and serving as heads of household. The various training programs provided have included hair-dressing, nursing, cooking, electrical and computers, building & construction, and driving. Nearly 80 young adults (men & women) have since been trained, all of whom now hold jobs, and more than 300 of their siblings have received educational and other support thanks to this ongoing initiative. These young people also participate in peer support groups designed to build leadership skills and self-confidence, as well as to share their knowledge of HIV/AIDS issues with their communities.
The younger siblings are provided with the opportunities to gain access to an education and skills training, basic resources (such as food, house rent, clothing, school-related supplies), access to healthcare and psychosocial support, and access to a large recreational program. The idea behind the project is to make families self-sustaining, as the trained older orphans become employed and take on the responsibility of managing the household. In addition, communities have been trained and empowered to share the responsibility of serving as collective guardians of these vulnerable youth. The change, in both the youth and the communities, has been truly transformative.