Stephen Wood Wins National Award
In a special award ceremony for honoring local people who have created outstanding contribution to international development in Stormont, North Irelands Parliament, TFS’s core volunteer Stephen Wood attained an award.
The event, which was held on the 29th of March, witnessed Mr. Wood’s reception of the ”Best Contribution to Local Economic Development” award.
In a statement issued by the All Party Group for International Development, they described Stephen, and TFS as follows:
“Stephen has worked in Uganda and Tanzania and been instrumental in the establishment of four partnerships which have helped support thousands of working people improve their livelihoods. He helped establish the partnership which saw Tools for Solidarity support over 50 artisan groups get tools and sewing machines to people on the margins of society. This has provided much needed employment and income generation as well as enabling local services to be provided to local people. It is also a lasting legacy that the tools that helped shape Belfast are also now being used to help shape the lives of people in rural Uganda and Tanzania. Stephen has not just seen development as a process in sending material assistance but as a chance to make positive changes within so many lives.”
Way to go Stephen !
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Another Newsletter out to the world!
Start your weekend with a thrilling read and have a look in our new exciting Newsletter!
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Material needed for next shipment
Very soon – at the end of April – TFS is planning to send out another container with tools, treadles, sewing machines and tailoring kits to partner projects in Uganda.
These kits are sent to some of the poorest areas of the world where many people have little or no means of income. They will assist trainee and start-up tailors in establishing small tailoring enterprises and will quite literally offer a lifeline to struggling families, providing a mother with the means to feed her children or afford medical care.
Yet at the moment we are short of material and cloth which we would like to include in the tailoring kits.
We are particularly looking for material like synthetic plain or pattern, linen plain or pattern, thick plain or pattern, mix plain or pattern, cotton, synthetic mix, denim, upholstery, lace netting, piping braid, for example from industrial off-cuts or end-of-stock materials, but also in any other form.
If you wish to donate or might support us in any way in this matter, please contact us!
Any contribution or help will be greatly appreciated!
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TSF video by NvTv
During our last shipment in September some people from Northern Vision came around the workshop to shoot some material – and now they they sent us this fantastic new video! Click here to watch TFS in action..
Many thanks to the team of Northern Visions/NvTv for their great work! (…and yes, we know: all these international European names – it’s not so easy…;) )
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Happy holidays from all of us to all of you!
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Ana and the snow
Today Belfast woke up under a thin, white layer (visible mostly on the Cavehill, to be honest…) and for Ana, our volunteer from Palma de Mallorca, was the first time to ever see the snow! Her parents were here to visit and they had the luck to share the same joy.
We thought it would be incredibly sweet to let you know…
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Tools Berlin
Our German spin-off Tools Berlin just sent their very first tool kit to Sierra Leone! Congratulations and may many more follow!
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Newsletter!
Our November newsletter has been uploaded onto the website! Sit back, relax and enjoy an exciting and entertaining read!
Click here to start…
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Tool refurbishment manual
Should some of you feel like practicing at home, we found this brilliant handbook that, despite the not exactly pacifist source, gives very useful instructions on how to refurbish tools!
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World Mental Health Day
October, 10th was World Mental Health Day and TFS joined an event organised by Niamh and MindWise at Belfast City Hall to celebrate this day!
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John Alibankoha’s presentation
For those of you who couldn’t make it to the workshop, we have uploaded John Alibankoha’s presentation, just click here to read it!
Should you need any further information on John, RUPAD or TFS projects, feel free to contact us!
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The container has started its way to Africa on Friday, 24th. It will reach Mwanza in December, we will keep you updated!
TFS would like to thank everyone involved in the shipment, all our volunteers, everyone who donated tools and sewing machines and NIPSA for their generous support.
Scroll down for pictures&short accounts of the days leading to the shipment!
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THE SHIPMENT!!
Day 1 – September, 19th
The day has come: this morning we started filling the container!
TFS volunteers from Belfast and Downpatrick’s workshops have united their strong arms (and legs, and heads, and limbs and any muscle you can think of…) to get the hard work done.
Here are some pictures of Container-Day 1
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Day 2 – September, 20th
Today we got backups from Mourne Grange! Geoff, Neil and John joined us and with their help all the sewing machines were boxed up and put in the container.
We also had a visit from the children of one of our volunteer, Stephen, who didn’t waste any time and got straight to working!
By the end of the day, we managed to fit in boxes of material, treadle tops, bikes and… Maike!
Scroll down for visual evidence of another day of hard work!
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Day 3 – September, 21st
Container full!! Almost…
The biggest part of the job is finished, we just need to fill in a couple of cm3 of space left, but we’ll think about it tomorrow!
We also had some visitors: 2 NIPSA representatives, local councillor Naomi Thomson and Northern Visions TV called in to get a closer look at the container and to have more information on how TFS work and on the project in Mwanza.
Yes, we did take lots of pictures today as well…
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Day 4 – September, 22nd
It’s been a long, hard process, but we are very happy to announce that the container is officially closed!
Tomorrow we’ll be excited to greet it goodbye!
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TOOLS COOKBOOK!
We want to share our workshop and volunteers recipes with you.
Have fun trying them out!
