Women's Sewing Centre, Honiara, Solomon Islands.

Fiji

Solomon Islands

Vanuatu

Samoa

PNG

WOMEN'S SEWING CENTRES
Global Development, Aid & Service

Empowering Women with Income-Generating Opportunities to Support their Families

From 2008, WFWP Australia's Women's Sewing Centres project continues to provide Island women with the opportunity to gain practical skills that empower their lives and support their families economically.

With the short-term goal to bring women together to learn and/or volunteer their skills, the long-term goal is for women to become economically independent.

WFWP Australia supports UN Sustainable Development Goal 8: decent work and economic growth; Goal 10: reduced inequalities; Goal 17: partnerships for the goals.

Our most developed sewing centre is in Honiara, Solomon Islands and closely collaborates with New Hope Primary and Kindergarten, providing uniforms and funds. The sewing centre is currently expanding as more women join and new projects are developed. Other sewing Centre's are in Vanuatu, Samoa, Fiji and PNG.

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Honiara, Solomon Islands

The WFWP Solomon Islands is privileged to have two wonderful women who are dedicating themselves to keep the Women's Sewing Centre operating effectively.

With the help of these women, the following achievements have been made possible:

Sets of uniforms for students were produced in response to a request from the New Hope Academy.

To increase profits, new products have been designed and manufactured. The new products are different sized clothing hanger bags.

Catharine

items for sale women's sewing centre solomon islands

Nelly

These two passionate young entrepreneurs are now planning on further increasing their sewing with more products such as handbags, Island dresses, shirts and floor mats. Their plan is to open a small retail shop where items can be sold, thereby providing income for the Women's Sewing Centre.

Reflections from the tailors:

Nelly:

I really enjoy creating, cutting and sewing products. I feel really good when I am doing these activities. To make our sewing more effective, it would be lovely to get a machine that can do button holes. It is our vision to train more women to sew products and so we can make more products and sell these in our shop. It would be good to open up our own WFWP shop.

Catharine:

I really enjoy sewing and it is my aim to improve my sewing to a high standard. It would be nice to be able to create new designs and dressmaking patterns. I would appreciate attending a workshop on pattern designing so that I can broaden my knowledge and skills and sew better quality products. I am really enjoying my time sewing for WFWP SI and for the New Hope Academy.

Clothing hanger bags ready for sale.

Imaelone Village, West Tanna, Vanuatu

Written by Brenda Okada during a 'Working Holiday' to Vanuatu to deliver the sewing machines.

Manual sewing machines were donated by WFWP Australia to the ladies in Imaelone Village, Western Tanna. The women used them while sitting on mats on the floor of their women's centre. Recently, Ingleburn High School in Sydney upgraded their sewing room machines and graciously donated their used machines to WFWP Sydney, through contact via our National website our state president, Aila Willitts. They were then transported to Vanuatu. FFWPU missionary/New Village Movement co-ordinator Rev Jong Dueg Yoo was then able to arrange for electricity to be connected to the community centre in the village. With our arrival a ceremony was held to officially present the seven machines to Tess, the wife of the Taffeta Province President, Nakau Natuman, on behalf of the village.

WFWP Australia providing sewing machines for the remote village of Imaleone, Vanuatu 2009

Arriving in Imaelone Village and presenting the sewing machines.

Brenda Okada and her daughter Celine are in the 2nd row.

Excitment during the 1st sewing class.

There was great excitement as men brought tables from homes in the village to be used as work tables. Women quickly covered them with colourful clothes, the machines unboxed, put in place and plugged in. Celine began with the basics, filling the bobbin. The sound of the bobbin filling caused shrieks of delight to explode from all the women. Threading the machine correctly was a vey serious affair and then came the time to sew, again shrieks of delight and wonder at the speed of the action. Men stood and wandered around in the background, quite curious and a little in awe of what their women were experiencing.

Everyone was very eager to have their turn at this new-fangled machine. Many women proved to be quite adept and soon the sound of the racing machines filled the air as one by one they were taken over. Brightly coloured fabrics seemed to suddenly appear from nowhere, as some women rushed home and returned with eyes wide with determination and intention of sewing new curtains, new dresses and new tablecloths. There seemed to be no stopping them.

On the first day we held a four hour session before packing up for the day. The following day we held a six hour session interspersed by lunch which had been prepared by the women. The bag of fabrics and notions was unpacked on this day. The women were initially hesitant to investigate but quietly and surely each piece of fabric was taken by the end of our session with skirts, cushion covers, shirts and curtains, all in the process of being made.

It was a wonderful experience for everyone. To provide an activity for women to gather together and be productive is a wonderful thing. While caring for their babies, toddlers and small children, they can create items for their families, for gifts or for sale. To hear the sound of women chattering and laughing as sewing machines buzzed and children played and cried in the background was truly a joyous experience. Even the local dogs gathered around us and one puppy slept while resting its head on a skein of yarn.

For more information and how to support, please contact us.

Vanuatu women receiving sewing machines.

WFWP Vanuatu women leaders Port Vila, Vanuatu

Lenakel Village, West Tanna, Vanuatu

The Vanuatu Women’s Centre was built under the guidance of Yellow Ruth and now with the support of Annie. Throughout the past 30 years, Yellow Ruth has travelled on foot throughout Tanna Island; connecting to the women of the area serving their needs and inviting them to participate in the cooperative so that items can be purchased affordably by the village women.

The front of the building runs as a women’s co-operative called the ‘Cooperative Mama Foundation’ and the back meeting room was built through funds donated by WFWP Australia. The 41 women in the cooperative make mats and clothing using the sewing machines donated through WFWP Australia. Women of the area also receive management training on how to start businesses.

For more information and how to support, please contact us.