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On December 26, 2004 a massive tsunami caused devastation along the coasts of 10 countries on the Indian Ocean.
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Sewing training provides career opportunity. (Photo by Victor J. Sensenig) Sewing training provides career opportunity
Victor J. Sensenig RHEUM BARO, Indonesia – In this village in Aceh, an area devastated by the December 2004 tsunami, a group of women gained tools for a new future through a sewing program funded by MCC in partnership with a Jogjakarta-based nongovernmental organization called KYPA. “I had never sewed before this training, and I feel very satisfied. I like this work. I’m able to sew clothing by myself. So far I’ve made a shirt for my neighbor, a pair of jeans for my niece, and a jilbab (a traditional head covering) for my aunt,” says Irma, displaying an example of her work, a white cloth with a pink border pattern. The training included instructions on how to draw patterns, cut cloth and operate sewing machines. The clothing that the women produce can be sold to shops in the town, and some of the women are considering the possibility of producing school uniforms. Indonesian students wear uniforms through high school. The head veiling worn by all Muslim women in Aceh can be sold for a higher price, bringing significant income for these women and their families. Women come together to sew. “It can be very noisy and crowded when we gather because we like to laugh,” said Irma’s friend, Nilawati, another participant in the training. The training lasted three months, but women continued to meet and sew together in the room where classes were held – using the machines MCC had funded for the project. For Irma, who longed to go to university but could not afford further studies, the training provides a map for the future – and a dream to reach for. “I want to continue this work,” she said. “I want to open my own sewing business. But first I need to have my own machine.” |
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