In an effort to reduce unemployment and lack of vocational skills among young women in Machinjiri, Blantyre, a group of five youths is running a project called “Tailor Her Future”.
The project was launched on July 1, 2024.
In an interview with ProjectM, Tailor Her Future project manager Daniel Wiseman Kaira said the project will train the youth in tailoring and designing for them to become self-sufficient.
He said the project targets young women aged 15 to 30 who struggle to find employment due to a lack of opportunities and skills.
Said Kaira: “By providing them with vocational training in tailoring, the project seeks to enhance their employability and economic opportunities.”
He said 10 beneficiaries have already been selected based on age, education, family background, gender and economic status.
“The training sessions have been structured into several modules, covering different garment types and skills. Participants have successfully produced aprons, pillowcases, petticoats, skirts, dresses and simple traditional blouses,” he said.
Kaira, however, said the project has encountered several challenges, including price fluctuations, limited resources, and schedule flexibility.
He: “Despite these challenges, the project has made significant progress and plans to achieve the following tasks before its conclusion on 4 September, 2024:Training participants to make school uniforms, sessions on creating trousers and shirts, designing and sewing gym dresses, registering the project as a Community-Based Organisation and awarding certificates to participants upon project completion.”
Kaira said the “Tailor Her Future” project aligns with national development frameworks such as Vision 2063, the National Gender Policy and the National Youth Policy as well as global development frameworks like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The project is being funded by the Aspire Leaders programme.
