Provide Vital Skills and Vocational Training

Dear friends

Did you know that this project has trained over 150 trainees to date?  Thanks to your support - over 150 people have learned how to sew.  We are excited at having reached this milestone.

This school has had a significant impact in the Wellington community.  A good number of the youths and school dropouts have learned how to sew. We rejoice in being able to have this type of impact.

The school started with female tutors.  Now we have male teachers. We currently have 10 trainees. 

Going forward, our goal is to provide each of the trainees with a toolkit (sewing machine and some basic equipment / supplies (such as a coal iron, pair of scissors, needles, tape measure, table etc.). The trainees and teachers have expressly communicated that this is an urgent need.  This certainly makes sense as the graduating trainees need equipment assistance to start their own businesses.

We have together taught them "how to fish".  Now they need the necessary equipment to "start fishing".  This would complete the empowerment cycle.

Let us together help provide each of the trainees with a sewing tool kit ($200).  This would enable them to "start fishing" and truly empower them.

Thanks so much for your support

Sylvester and the Develop Africa Team
 

Links:

• Phptps of Tailoring Trainees

Dear Project Supporters,

Learning a new skill or even mastering an old skill is challenging, but thanks to your support, the tailoring trainees are working diligently on mastering tailoring.  The tailoring trainees were so excited to show what they have learned in class and put their lessons to good use.   Several of the trainees made Cecelia, one of the repeat visitors they like very much, an African dress.  In the pictures below, you can see Cecelia in her new dress posing with the tailoring trainees.

Joseph, the new Develop Africa Sierra Leone Program Officer, paid a visit to the school this week.  He reports that currently, there are eighteen to twenty (18-20) students who are still actively coming for training. Out of this number, four (4) of them are males and sixteen (16) are females”.

"One of beneficiaries I spoke with was Zainab R., a 22-year-old, suckling mother currently on training at the institute. Zainab narrates her experience as follows:

“I made my way to this institute in May 2015 through a friend’s advice who had earlier been here and my coming here has actually been helpful.  I wasn’t doing anything prior to enrolment at the Hope Institute. I was only a frustrated and disappointed girl who had lost hope in society. I had always wished to be educated but my family then could not even afford to get a square meal a day - let alone to talk of sending me to school. I had no other means of livelihood but to go out asking for help from some of our good neighbors. I got pregnant for a man who was not even up to the task of adequately taking good care of me. Our daily survival as husband and wife has always been a problem.  But my coming to this institute has actually been a kind of respite to me” 

“With this hands-on skill that I am acquiring here, I have costumers who come in for repairs or alterations either on their clothes or their children’s uniforms in return for a very meager amount. Though as small as it could be in most cases, I do utilize such earnings to take care of my kid and my very self - whenever my jobless husband is not in the position to step in. I am very optimistic that after I may have finally completed this training, I could then be in the position to fully support my family and my husband” 

Thank you for every step you have helped us take to make a difference in the lives of the tailoring trainees that your generous support has helped!  Together we are creating employment opportunities for disadvantaged youths and young adults - helping them to move from poverty and unemployment to self-sufficiency. Your support is truly making a difference! Thank you!

Joseph reports that the trainees are requesting support for graduation took kits that could be used to start a tailoring business.  We welcome your support today as we empower the trainees - enabling them to start their own businesses and become fully self-sufficient. 

With great appreciation,
The Develop Africa Team