After Visionary Lady Foundation (VLF) received a donation of 3 tailoring machines from Global Bridge Network on 17th/08/2022, a tailoring center was set up at Creative infant school Naguru which has been active all along and trainings are being conducted to teach members of the school communities including teachers, students, parents on how to practice tailoring and also to make re-usable pads.
In regards to the attendance, So far a total of 51 participants have been trained. Out of these, 33 were students, 6 teachers and 12 community members from both the school and community.
Content of the training
During the training, participants are being shown the materials used and even given a chance to touch and feel the texture of each material as well explaining its function during the process. Focus is normally put on the shape of the cloth item and its measurements ie through using a paper trace as a sample, giving them a demonstration of how to cut out pieces of the materials and stitch them together in a particular order to make the cloth they are tailoring. This technic is majorly applied in the process of pad making.
After the tailoring training process, Samples of the finished items/mended clothes are distributed such that the participants would see what it would look like and also act as a reference at the time when they will have to do the actual tailoring. Participants are now not only able to make their own pads but can also tailor simple clothes, and also mending of torn clothes by themselves.
Recently students and training community members have got a challenge of, the trainer being away most of the time. So some students and teachers who are members of the club are collaborating to see that they can be able to find a second trainer so that when one is not around another can help out. However the students haven’t stopped with their training, they have been able to continue practicing on their own despite the challenges of not having enough material to use plus less machines.
Positive influence
- Participants (learners, teachers and parents) are always excited to learn how to do tailoring more especially the process of pad making during the school tailoring activity.
- Some of the parents and teachers had basic tailoring skills already which made training easier
- After the training, participants always appreciate the support thanking VLF and GBN for the initiative and for the success of the project activity implementation.
- Participants can now be able to do their own tailoring which has also led to an increase in availability, access of suitable&quality reusable sanitary pads
Challenges
- Insufficient materials plus machines to use for tailoring. (Reason being the number of members now have increased vis-à-vis the time for setting up the club. Because we only have 2 training machines and the other is an overlock. So meaning it’s only 2 people having hands on and the others just be watching which technically takes time hence becoming a challenge.
- Limited tailoring skills among some learners, But fortunately the parents and teachers that know how to do the tailoring are so corporative in-regards to helping out the trainer in teaching other member participants.
- At school there is also a problem of structure.. Since the school has few classes, I was informed that they keep carrying the machines to the classroom where students aren’t studying for them to do the tailoring training which is a little bit challenging in addition to having one trainer. So VLF is trying to talk to the head teacher to see if they can secure for us a temporary or permanent room if possible for just the tailoring center activities so that the members of the club can access the room at any given time whenever they need to use it and if we are also to consider sustaining of the project.
Sustainability plan
In regards to the sustainability plan, VLF is having an idea of coming up with a “Contribute towards supporting the tailoring club program” initiative, which will be executed through coordinating with the Naguru school head teacher together with some local community leaners to mobilize the parents, teachers and caretakers to contribute some money during times of gatherings so as to be able to further support the tailoring club program in conducting its activities ie buying insufficient materials where need be. And on doing so, we could also offer our pads to the parents or attendees of these events for them to purchase.
Times of gatherings could be during the times of school/community events, such as the speech day, where VLF and the students in the tailoring club can get a chance to meet a bigger audience with many parents, religious leaders, local leaders, members of the PTA and school teachers so as to advocate for contributing for the tailoring program initiative. These kinds of gatherings/events normally happen like 3-10times in a year, with a sequence of 2-3 events per a term respectively.