Our first official sewing class started May 20,2014. Five students enrolled.
These young women have completed Primary School and have no way to go further in education because of the high cost of tuition. Without a skill there is no job available. Urukundo Sewing Center founded and funded by generous supporters in the US and Canada, offers machines to teach sewing and has opened a door that was closed for them.
Read about them below.
Our trainees and trainers:
Thresea, Florida, Jacqueline, Phoibe, Divine, Melonie, Desire
Therese Mukabanany, our teacher for basic sewing, machine maintainance and theory.
Therese had 7 children, but she lost 4 during the genocide and now has 3 in her home. It is important to her that she can educate her remaining children. She was a housewife before starting to sew. With this job she is able to pay school fees for her children and support her family. Her diploma is from ECOLE TECHNIQUE SCHOOL FOR SEWING.
Desire Uwimany teacher for fancy sewing and tailoring, specializing in men’s cloths. He is a father, and had a job tailoring in Kigali but it did not pay well. Desire left that job to come to work at Urukundo. He is pleased because and he said,
“I can pay school fees for my all my children and take care of family."
An opportunity for you to help women and girls to have training in a trade where they can earn an income and provide a better future for themselves and to help their families move out of poverty.
$192 USD will provide tuition for a full year of training. $192 to give a woman or girl a new lease on life. These are persons who are hard workers and want a better future for themselves and others.
Florida is single and has 7 younger brothers and sisters. Before now her life has been cleaning in other peoples homes when she could find the work.
Florida said "Learning to sew will give a job so I can have a better future. I also want to be able to take care of my brothers and & sisters."
Florida hopes to become a teacher.
20 years old, Divine is an orphan with 1 sibling. She stays with a person who wishes her well.
She says: "I will be able tp get a job and support myself. I will stop burdening people with my needs."
Jacqueline Irahuzais, 15 years old, finished primary school at age 12. For 3 years she has prayed for a way to help her family and herself. Her parents are poor and so secondary school was not affordable for her. There is no work available for this young girl. She is so grateful for this opportunity to learn a trade.
With 8 siblings, Phiobe is 16 and has finished primary school with no secondary education in sight due to family poverty. She is unhappy to be at home without anything to do. Her goal is to become a seamstress in time, to own her own machine and have a small business.
Her comment
"I will be able to get a job to support my parents and siblings."
Jacqueline Irahuza - she has 3 siblings and her father is a carpenter. Jacqueline is 15 years old and finished primary school at age 12. For 3 years she has prayed for a way to help her family and herself. Her parents are poor and so secondary school was not affordable for her. There is no work available for this young girl.
"Earning some income is important to me.I am so grateful for this opportunity to learn a trade. I never thought this could happen."
Melanie has 4 siblings, her father is one of guards at Urukundo.
Her thought is: "This is an opportunity for me to be self reliant."
New Headteacher Rene welcoming the students.
Our children from the community come to school on different types of vehicles plus on foot. Here are two of them.
