Waan Aelõñ in Majel (WAM) Wins 2011 Global Vision Award
Global Vision Awards 2011
Wan Aelon Majol is a Global Vision Award Winner
Preservation Artisan Revival: Waan Aelõñ in Majel (WAM), the Marshall Islands The traditional Marshallese outrigger canoe was once considered among the finest sailing vessels in the world, until modern boats arrived and canoe construction became a dying art form. But thanks to the foresight of an American boat enthusiast and a few remaining experts, WAM emerged with hopes to revive the craft—and inspire a new generation. The program provides life-skills training and instruction in canoe-building to local youth, offering them marketable expertise in a place where more than 70 percent of young people are without jobs. Take the Trip: The WAM Visitors Center, on Majuro Island, lets travelers tour the workshops and sail in a canoe. Bikinian Mayor Alson Kelen has been the Executive Director of this program for many years.
http://www.wamprogram.org/
