Jane Madete Meets the Irish Countrywomen’s Association

Last year Tools For Solidarity (TFS) took Jane Madete, manager of the Mwanza Sewing and Training Centre (MSTC), Tanzania, to Dublin to meet with Liz Wall, the President of the Irish Countrywomen’s Association (ICA). The purpose of this meeting was to present to Liz and to a representative of Irish Aid, the main funder of MSTC, the work that Jane and her team have been carrying out. This is recognition of the help and support from the ICA, promoting the work of TFS/MSTC and helping us to collect sewing machines. ICA asked their members to help us collect sewing machines throughout the Republic of Ireland and a few months ago we received a list of women offering machines across Ireland. Last week Stephen Wood, Nancy Graham, from TFS – Belfast, and Geoff Claxton, from the Camphill Community Mourne Grange, collected over 40 machines. This weekend Liz will address the members of the ICA at their national Annual General Meeting. Below is her address:

“One of the projects that has been a great success this last year was the campaign to find hand held and foot pedal sewing machines for the charity TFS. We had an excellent presentation in Central Office from Jane Madete project manager of the charity based in Tanzania and Uganda and she told us how teaching tailoring skills to women has given them access to an income and running their own small business. The charity collects unwanted sewing machines, restores and services them and then ships them to Tanzania and Uganda with spare parts. The machines will be going to women in artisan groups, vocational training colleges and organisations of people with disabilities. On behalf of Stephen Wood the manager of Tools for Solidarity I would like to thank all of the ICA members who donated 40 hand or foot treadle sewing machines to this very worthwhile charity, your donation has given a family in Africa a new lease of life. — Liz Wall, President Irish Countrywomen’s Association