Yesterday, we got five sewing machines for a group of Rohingya women, helping them find a pathway toward an empowered future. But there was a problem – although they all wanted to learn, they didn’t know how to sew!
We couldn’t just provide the sewing machines and say “good luck!” – we had to provide them with the tools to be successful, too. So for day 94, we brought in a trainer from the community to teach these women how to sew.
We hired a trainer to come visit the women for six hours per day, six days a week, for four whole months! To supplement the training, we also purchased scrap materials and various fabric samples for them to use as they learn.
The women decided to take different shifts with the trainer, making sure that everybody learned. And those that learned faster would help women who took a longer time, helping all to excel.
“It can be one of their professions in the future,” said Shafiqa, the leader of the group. “If they go back to Myanmar they can sew. No matter what country they live in they can do this.”
Slowly but surely, everyone in the group will get some of the skills they need to support themselves, and their families, giving them some peace of mind in uncertain times.
“This makes us feel peace inside our minds and in our hearts.”
