Community Corner

Founders of Shoreline-based West African Vocational Schools to be Honored Saturday

WAVS is hosting a celebration of its founders, Herb and Martha Reynolds, from 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6 at First Christian Reformed Church in Shoreline

A Shoreline-based nonprofit called West African Vocational Schools (www.WAVSchools.org) is hosting a celebration of its founders, Herb and Martha Reynolds, from 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6 at First Christian Reformed Church in Shoreline, 14555 25th Ave NE.

WAVS has established a vocational school in Guinea-Bissau (population 1.5 million), one of the smallest and poorest countries in the world. It borders Sengal to the south. The school is focused on giving students skills that translate into jobs and also offers its students leadership training.

The Reynolds are longtime residents of Snohomish and their church in Shoreline, First Christian Reformed Church, has been behind this project for about a decade. Herb, 78, and Martha, 74, and are stepping down from working full-time for WAVS. 

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Martha Reynolds first went to Guinea Bissau in 1994 as part of a missionary group and kept going back. Guinea Bissau was not served by many of the major non-governmental charity organizations like World Vision at the time. The country fought and won its independence from Portugal in 1974. About 50-55 percent of the people practice native animist religions, 40 percent are Muslim and the rest are Christian, Marthan Reynolds said.

She learned the local language, Portugese Creole, and partnered with a local pastor in town seeing the need for job training. She started the non-profit 2000. By 2007, the vocational school in the city of Chanchungo, designed by her husband Herb, was built. Four different courses, auto mechanics, computer basics, sewing and English are taught. A grant is paying for a new welding class.

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Private individuals and local churches fund the budget of $120,000, which pays the salary of Chris Collins, the executive director and a Shorewood High School gradaute; the teachers' salaries, construction, and supplies.

"For me to see what Herb and Martha have done in their retirement years and later years is pretty insipring," Collins said. 

If you wish to donate to the school the easiest way is to go online to, www.wavschools.org or make checks out to WAVS at P.O. Box 25455, Seattle WA 98165.


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