Activity at Thabita

After months of thinking that we are on the verge of really starting up our sewing project and getting closer to our goal of a sustainable center, I think we are finally there. Figures it happens in the very last stretch of my service. December has had lots of progress (most of it only noticeable to the members and myself.) I am now so grateful for our ceiling, our ten plug outlets, our windows and an overhead light in all 5 rooms. If we had a butt load of money we could have thrown it all towards private contractors and electricity install men. But we didn’t, so the process took 20 times longer doing it by hand. We hired outside work for some tricky parts we didn’t have proper tools for (ceilings turned out to be beyond the project's expertise). As a result of doing it all by hand, the building now has a very “homey” feel to it; the doors get really jammed, the cemented walls are very discolored and uneven but at least it is veryyyy spacious with not one piece of furniture to clutter the place up.

With all its imperfections I hope the members look at it with pride. Even when I walk by the windows I personally installed, I think 'those are nice windows'.

The other reason I feel confident saying we are on the verge of our breakthrough is due to the week long sewing workshop just held at the center. Previously, we would never have had a proper working space to accommodate ourselves, never mind visitors coming to spend the week. However, the whole week the 15 project members worked morning and afternoon to become adjusted to the machines, patterns and to start making clothes. Kyla and Geri, two fellow Peace Corps Volunteers from my region, were the expert trainers. They had to work with a huge language barrier, lots of different experience levels within the group, all while attempting to babysit the crying babies to let the mothers sew but succeeded like pros. In just 5 days the group collectively made 15 pin cushions, 15 draw string bags and 7 beautiful skirts! I was able to pick up some sewing skills and a ton of useful sewing language in Thimbukushu, at the end of the week Kyla and Geri helped this newbie make her own shirt.

Dongo even learned to sew!

Geri demonstrating to the group

Kyla and Geri with some of the members and their brand new, homemade skirts!