Sewing circle at Soweto school enhances social fabric

A group of innovative school governing body members in Soweto are fighting the scourge of poverty by upskilling unemployed mothers from the community to produce uniforms for the school’s children.

Thabang Primary School chair Shadi Mogole said their aim was to produce uniforms, tracksuits and sportswear for the pupils at the Dobsonville school and other schools nearby, while tackling the unemployment crisis head-on.

Mogole said with the high rate of unemployment in her community, she felt the confidence and participation of parents in school-related matters was at an all-time low.

She explained that what started off as a beading workshop through an agreement between the principal and Rayana Edwards, a business leader of Partners for Possibility and founder of Sari For Change in June 2019, was turning into a fully fledged manufacturing hub for unemployed women.

Shadi Mogole, chairperson of the Thabang primary school teaches unemployed mothers at the school how to sew, Thabang Primary School, Soweto, 21 January 2020. The women sew school uniforms which are then sold to parents as part of fundraising for the school. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark

“Our vision is to give out skills to unemployed women affected by poverty so that they can start their own businesses one day,” said the mother of two yesterday.

“As entrepreneurs in Sari For Change’s network, we were able to purchase a sewing machine with the idea of uniform making and to provide manufacturing of fashion products,” said Mogole, who formerly worked in the clothing production industry.

One of the volunteers, Ditsamai Ngobeni from Braamfischer, who has three children at the school, praised the project.

“Most people around here are unemployed, especially the mothers, so this project helps to put food on the table,” she said.

Although the intention was to impact unemployment, the founders also wanted to ensure volunteers could give of their time and learn a skill.

Shadi Mogole, chairperson of the Thabang primary school teaches unemployed mothers at the school how to sew, Thabang Primary School, Soweto, 21 January 2020. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark

“We would be honoured to have others join this journey of impacting this sharing economy, through donating fabrics, sewing machines, helping fund this training centre, or partnering with us in entrepreneurship training and business workshops,” said Edwards.

Because Thabang Primary is a no-fee school, the pupils are given one meal a day and the success of the project could help the moms afford a packed lunch for their children, according to school principal Bertha Ramantsi.

“Our aim was to help our parents as this in turn helps our pupils. These parents are being given a skill that cannot be taken from them and they will show the community what can be achieved,” said Ramantsi.

She said they needed sewing machines, saris, cotton and a basic training kit for each woman who joins the project this year.

For more details on how to donate, please contact the school on 011-988-2978.

– gcinan@citizen.co.za

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