Textile Skills for 40 Marginalized Women in Brazil

ACER was closed on March 14th and, owing to the severity of the pandemic, did not reopen until 3rd May. Since then, mask making has been in full swing and our women’s group, aided by the older teenagers, have to date made over 3,000 masks in both adult and children’s sizes for the ACER community. This has helped to keep ACER safely open and allowed vulnerable children to resume activities there, including rugby, futsal, capoeira and guitar. Receiving payment for their work is also an important way in which our textile groups can help to support their families during the pandemic. 

 The mask project brought the women’s and teenagers’ groups together for an important assignment that benefitted the ACER community as a whole. In June, some of the sports kids and their teachers visited the textile workspace, where the women showed them how the masks were made.

 The new activity of mask-making presented a challenge to the groups, as they needed to learn how to use new machines, work as a team, and set up a production process. A project such as this gives the participants an opportunity to develop, learn new skills and take on new roles. Some of the women and teenagers have also been taking courses organised at ACER in partnership with local quangos Senac and Sebrae in subjects such as garment making and repurposing and starting a small business.

 We are very grateful to a thoughtful and generous donor, a past volunteer at ACER, who made the mask-making enterprise possible.