Our last shipment

Friday 6th September was an important day this year 2024 for TFS. This was the day that our latest container filled with tools, sewing machines and machinery left our workshop on its way to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Many people were involved in the work of preparing this shipment to Africa. “It takes over 9 months to get the shipment ready and around 3 days to fill in”, John Wood declared. Everyone who has visited or has worked in our workshop knows perfectly well how crowded it has been with boxes full of sewing machines, workshop machinery and tools. We are committed to improving the income generating capacity of local workers in Tanzania and that requires loads of space. It is truly impressive when a shipment of this scale leaves and you’re able to see our small workshop located in south Belfast emptier. Even if it’s just for a couple of days. It is according to John, always worth it if we are “creating new opportunities for whoever needs them”.
We are extremely proud to say that we shipped more than 300 sewing machines and around 5000 tools. We also sent electrical tools, workshop machinery, office materials, sewing accessories and other items heading to its first destination in the southern highlands of Tanzania – the Njombe Artisan
Support Centre. From there it will continue on to Iringa Artisan Training Support Centre where it will remain. Some of the sewing machines will then be transported to Mwanza, on the shores of Lake Victoria.
All of these resources will have a very positive impact on the income generating capacity of local tailors and artisans. The machinery we send has a higher quality than the low-cost Chinese products available in-country The tools we send are more durable, more affordable and of better manufacture.

A huge thank you to all of our volunteers both international and local for their many hours of work refurbishing tools and sewing machines and for loading the container. Thanks too to the many hundreds of people throughout Northern Ireland who have donated their own tools and sewing machines to us.

Without this support we would not be able to enable artisans in Tanzania to make better quality of goods for their local community and to grow their businesses. Lastly this shipment would not have been possible without the financial support of the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) who have funded our work for many years. Thanks you once again.

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