Project Launch: 4-22-20

Women’s Rights Institute (WORI) will train 15 young women in textile design through bag and shoe covering skills. After graduation, the women will start selling the covered shoes and bags and some of the income generated will be used to provide scholastic materials, uniforms, and sanitary pads to 25 young school girls in need who have already been identified. Part of the remaining revenue will be split among the women to enable them to economically sustain their households and or start small scale businesses of their choice.

Project Update: 7-30-20

Four months since inception, the project has trained five (5) women as trainers of trainers (TOT) in bag design, production and shoe covering. The five  young women underwent an intensive ten days training which has helped them produce bags and shoes from raw materials such as cotton and chitenje wrappers, flexi –foam, adhesive, pressing iron and sewing kits. Furthermore, these women have trained ten (10) other women in the same skills. All the fifteen (15) women are scheduled to be trained in tailoring and designing for three months, equipping them with more vocational skills. The participants have displayed their ability to design accessories that have fetched a good market in the community and the women are assured of generating income from the sales which is vital in sustaining their households. 

Final Report: 2-18-21

Women Rights Institute (WORI) has successfully facilitated skills acquisition training of 15 women in various income generating activities in Nkhotakota district. The initial training was that of the  five (5) trainers of trainers (TOT) in shoe and bag covering, who in turn trained ten other women in the same skills.  In addition, all the 15 women were enrolled in tailoring and designing where they learnt production of school uniforms, dresses, shirts and skirts that continue to be sold to community members. The sewn clothes and bags sold boosted the group’s income from $40 (K30,000) to $140 (K105,000) which was used to procure additional production resources and scholastic materials such as stationery and uniforms for 20 primary school going girls who are in need. Currently, three women have established individual tailoring and designing businesses in the community where they mend and design clothes for their customers. Six other women have also established businesses in production of bags and designing and covering of shoes for personal income gains.

Alinafe Mofolo, a 31 years old woman is proud to be a part of the project and says, “When the tailoring and designing opportunity rose at WORI, I saw a chance for me to learn a skill that would enable me  open up my own business in the future to support my household. I am married but I have always wanted to be economically independent and not rely on my husband only for support. This project has greatly impacted my life as now I have been equipped with a skill which I have started to use wisely to fulfil my vision.”