Eight Women Participate in Pilot Sewing Program
On Wednesday October 11, at the Gaston Boasman Community Help Desk for the Elderly & Disabled and Women Desk, the Department of Community Development, Family & Humanitarian Affairs Section Women Desk in collaboration with Leighloe commenced a basic sewing pilot project with 8 women. Given the benefits sewing offers to the individual and by extension the community CDFHA/ Women’s Desk decided to make an investment in sewing machines and this project so that this project can eventually be extended to the community after the evaluation phase. In the pilot phase the sewing classes comes at no cost to the participants, as the pilot caters to unemployed women who are registered on Dutch Sint Maarten between the ages of 18-65.
The purpose of this project is to give 8 women the opportunity to learn a new skill that they eventually can turn into income generating. The pilot project will assist CDFHA/Women’s Desk to gather the necessary information and data that will help in tailoring a sustainable sewing project that can be embedded in the department as a community base empowerment programme. This is a mere drop in the bucket in trying to empower women and building stronger communities which is in keeping with the role and responsibility of Community Development and Women’ Desk
The classes will run for a period of 3 months, 2 days a week, Wednesday & Friday for 2 hours per session at the Community Help Desk in Hope Estate. The classes are offered in collaboration with Leighloe directed by Ms. Jo-ann Schet. The organization is relatively new; however, Ms. Shet comes with a wealth of experience, she is young and has a passion for sewing and is eager and willing to pass on this knowledge to others. Currently, she has her own sewing shop where she sews for others on request and offers sewing class privately. During this period the ladies will be exposed to the theoretical part and practical aspect of sewing. They will have the opportunity to work on several projects, draw patterns and then sew their patterns.
Learning to sew comes with physical, economical, and emotional benefits. Participants build self-confidence, help in managing mood, save money, boost well-being, hone creativity etc. Research shows sewing helps to deflect or avoid stress by using creativity as a distraction. In addition, it helps with reflection - as it helps the individual to reassess life’s problems and challenges. CDFHA/Women’s Desk encourages the community to stay tune for more on the development's sewing pogramme.
