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As you all may have already known, John and Francesca have visited Uganda and Tanzania. They have been helping our new VORI project with it’s first footsteps as well as checking the MSTC wokshop in Mwanza. Below you can find Francesca’s report about what has been going on so far.

ASTC- WORI

When we arrived at the beginning of February the container hadn’t arrived yet and the workshop building was just starting.
Two months later the workshop is finished and functioning, while the new container has been emptied and transformed into the office for the manager. By the end of next week we will also be completing the training room.

Checking and refurbishment of tools has started and the 50 sewing machines provided this year will all be refurbished by the beginning of next week. It has been intense and hard work.

Due to the late arrival of the container allocation of tools and sewing machines has not started yet, but we hope to catch up in the next months

Due to the late arrival of the container allocation of tools and sewing machines has not started yet, but we hope to catch up in the next months

Meanwhile, after waiting for quite a long time, Rambia a group from Western Uganda which requested tools from us over a year ago, was able to visit ASTC and collect a building kit, a carpentry kit and two electric sewing machines for their project. Was quite a challenge to transport all of this on a boda-boda (motorcycle taxi). We hope they will make good use of the tools and the sewing machines and we wish them all the luck for their project.

MSTC MWANZA

On the 22th of March we travelled to Mwanza and visit the MSTC project for one week.
The project is building up its capacity after the fire disaster in July 2013. New shelves and a new grinder room have been built, including a storage space for the material purchased with funds from Lloyds.

In 2014 MSTC trained nearly 100% of the tailors receiving sewing machine from the centre. This is an incredible result and reason of pride for MSTC and TFS. The trip was also an opportunity to go and visit some of the groups whom received support from MSTC during the years. Groups are happy with both the machines and the training programme and some of them actually requested more training in both maintenance and dress design.

The centre is currently employing two members of staff, Christina (training officer) and Athman (workshop mechanic). The visit was also an opportunity to meet Jane, the former MSTC manager, and thank her for her work in developing MSTC.

Stay tuned for more news!