EducationLifestyleNews
When dreams come true…
Earlier this year Carol Pittendrigh settled in the Vaal Triangle where she now combines her love for fashion design with another – to pass on her knowledge to other women wanting to learn sewing – especially underprivileged women who can make use of such knowledge in order to making a living
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THREE RIVERS. – As a little girl Carol Pittendrigh developed a passion for textile, colour, texture, needlework and design – largely inspired by Granny Pitt who loved her art needlework. After graduating in fashion design at Technikon Natal she expanded her passion by working for companies such as Edgars and Polo SA for over 40 years.
Earlier this year Carol settled in the Vaal Triangle where she now combines her love for fashion design with another – to pass on her knowledge to other women wanting to learn sewing – especially underprivileged women who can make use of such knowledge in order to making a living.
She was recently invited to hold a sewing workshop for an unspeakably deprived rural community in a company community centre in Mpumalanga. The objective was to train unemployed women to earn a living.
Carol says: “We managed to get a sewing machine for each learner, some barely workable, others on loan. After the course only the wrecks will remain but we just had to dive in!”
The ladies were shy when asked their goals, but one responded: “I have a dream to start a business and earn a living.”
“We began with hand/eye co-ordination. First sewing on paper, then fabric, then the first article – a bag for sewing tools. After another bag they realised they could sew. What a wow moment!”
Many orphans attend humble crèches in the area, so the next project was little aprons. Then came a project with potential to change lives: Many girls miss school because of the embarrassment & discomfort of not having unaffordable sanitary products – a dire situation. So, washable sanitary pads! They saw colour, felt soft fabric and realised they could make their own – wow again!”
So began the miracle. The company community manager was so impressed that her company promised to help set up a business and produced an order for over 1 000 pads for local school girls. The group was in business!
Next was a visit by the Community Works Programme site manager from Ermelo. She was amazed by the sewing, especially the washable pads which she had never previously seen. She promised to help and on day 3 brand new industrial sewing machines were delivered. They were living their dream. They sewed pads, shopping bags and small gift items to be perfected for sale to B&Bs in the area.
The sewing bug had bitten and the shy ladies were no longer shy.
Within 5 days a dream came true, a business was born, orders were waiting and young women in the area will regain their dignity! This once again shows that a good idea, knowledge and a passion to help others are a winning combination on the road to success.
For Carol, further workshops are in the pipeline in Mpumalanga but business undertakings, industries and NGOs in the Vaal Triangle that see a need in the local area for needy women to be trained to make a living, are welcome to contact her on 083 308 9206. All women in the Vaal who would like to learn more about fashion design are also welcome to give Carol a call.
Earlier this year Carol settled in the Vaal Triangle where she now combines her love for fashion design with another – to pass on her knowledge to other women wanting to learn sewing – especially underprivileged women who can make use of such knowledge in order to making a living.
She was recently invited to hold a sewing workshop for an unspeakably deprived rural community in a company community centre in Mpumalanga. The objective was to train unemployed women to earn a living.
Carol says: “We managed to get a sewing machine for each learner, some barely workable, others on loan. After the course only the wrecks will remain but we just had to dive in!”
The ladies were shy when asked their goals, but one responded: “I have a dream to start a business and earn a living.”
“We began with hand/eye co-ordination. First sewing on paper, then fabric, then the first article – a bag for sewing tools. After another bag they realised they could sew. What a wow moment!”
Many orphans attend humble crèches in the area, so the next project was little aprons. Then came a project with potential to change lives: Many girls miss school because of the embarrassment & discomfort of not having unaffordable sanitary products – a dire situation. So, washable sanitary pads! They saw colour, felt soft fabric and realised they could make their own – wow again!”
So began the miracle. The company community manager was so impressed that her company promised to help set up a business and produced an order for over 1 000 pads for local school girls. The group was in business!
Next was a visit by the Community Works Programme site manager from Ermelo. She was amazed by the sewing, especially the washable pads which she had never previously seen. She promised to help and on day 3 brand new industrial sewing machines were delivered. They were living their dream. They sewed pads, shopping bags and small gift items to be perfected for sale to B&Bs in the area.
The sewing bug had bitten and the shy ladies were no longer shy.
Within 5 days a dream came true, a business was born, orders were waiting and young women in the area will regain their dignity! This once again shows that a good idea, knowledge and a passion to help others are a winning combination on the road to success.
For Carol, further workshops are in the pipeline in Mpumalanga but business undertakings, industries and NGOs in the Vaal Triangle that see a need in the local area for needy women to be trained to make a living, are welcome to contact her on 083 308 9206. All women in the Vaal who would like to learn more about fashion design are also welcome to give Carol a call.
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Some of the elated students who were taught to make handy articles which they can use or sell to earn a living.
