Forty women from various women’s groups in Suva are participating at a three-day training on basic sewing skills, dress making and tailoring with a creative touch.
The launch of the training today at the Fiji National Council for Disabled Persons (FNCDP) Complex had displays of creative products such as bags, table cloths, dresses, needle sewing, pants and much more.
The Ministry of Social Welfare, Poverty Alleviation and Women has distributed a total of 1900 sewing machines so far and have also joined hands with Courts Fiji Limited to continue this support.
Two facilitators are training these women’s groups from the Singer Group Australia – Damayanthi Ranasinghe (sewing educator) and Kate Gray (brand manager).
Sewing machines have created a movement for women’s income generating activities and financial independence and through this training, the individual women’s groups will impart their knowledge to a wider circle of women.
The Ministry of Social Welfare permanent secretary, Mr Govind Sami said the three days training will set the platform for participants to develop their creativity skills and they will be rewarded with the certificate at the end of the workshop, which will become the avenue to step ahead into opportunities for better future.
“The marketing opportunities will be facilitated through the 11 market booths and women market centres in different provinces. This initiative is an ideal example on the private-public partnership approach Government is cultivating to foster national development and we salute and acknowledge Courts Fiji Limited for taking the lead in this national vision,” Mr Sami said.
The CEO of Courts, Mr P.L Munasinghe said that in April this year, Courts have been actively involved in this project engaging local trainers to train members of these women’s groups in basic sewing skills, machine maintenance and financial literacy.
“So far, we have trained 135 women in four separate locations around the country. Courts is pleased to be involved to provide assistance for this community development initiative,” Mr Munasinghe said.
The Ministry has identified women’s groups around the country and provided sewing machines to most of these groups through Courts.
Mr Sami acknowledged Courts assistance in providing the singer sewing machines to rural women’s groups, providing training in sewing machine maintenance and their assistance in terms of discounts on singer sewing machines for women who want to buy the machines.
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