We are getting closer to finalising our SewAID trip to Gingoog. Three sponsors have now been confirmed.
Sewing machines: We are taking with us some good quality sewing machines, as well as an overlocker. We have been assured that the Filipino pupils are eager to take advantage of our program.
Sponsors: The three sponsors are: the Rotary Club of Gingoog, the Rotary Club of Gingoog Bay and the AR Poverty Relief Fund. We are delighted by all this cooperation and we will be trying our best to make this an especially successful tour in order to get the best results from the program with a plan for a second tour later on.
The program: SewAID works a little like a Micro-Credit-Loan. At the start each pupil will be given a new machine and all accessories. Pupils HAVE to be punctual and attend all lessons. When, at the end of the two weeks they successfully pass their exam, they are given the machine & accessories to take home. After 4 months they are required to pay back $15 per month for 20 month to the ARPRF fund, at the end of which time the machine is theirs to keep.
SewAID is infinitely better than a mere Micro Loan, because they are only paying back approximately 25% of what they are given, plus they are getting the training, plus they are getting support from their sponsors in starting their own business, plus they are working in a group.
Distribution: We have 3 teachers confirmed and two almost ready to sign on plus other enquiries. We do hope to get to 8 teachers eventually. Additionally Sandra and I and a Rotarian friend, Walter Bock will be coming as well. At this stage, 2nd September is still the target date.
The plan at this stage is:
Selection: To be selected by the sponsors, the pupils MUST have a poor background, yet be considered able to make money for their family after the SewAID program. It is advisable to choose groups from the same locality. That makes it easier for them to work together and better for the sponsor to assist them with the business side of orders and delivery.
The secret: The secret of success of a SewAID mission is in the selection of the pupils and the after-support they are getting from their sponsors.
The system: Each teacher has 4 pupils for two full weeks of training. Each pupil is giving a machine at the start to work with, then take home and eventually to own.
Our Aim: It is our aim to not saddle sponsors with expenses. The volunteers pay their own way for food, accommodation etc. but through social interaction it is inevitable that sponsors incur some expenses. We try to minimise that.
Purpose: Our purpose is not for us to come and give a group of ladies sewing machines, but to set up a group of ladies to start their own business, a business they carry on for years after to make money for their families from then on.
Volunteers: Every volunteer pays their own way; they are not there on a holiday. There will be full days of training for the whole 2 weeks. At the same time, in-between, we will arrange for social interaction with sponsors etc. and for some leisure time and sightseeing.
Pupils: Pupil are expected to be punctual and attend every day for the full day without exception. Pupils will be paid a small allowance for their time and will receive lunch. Sponsors are responsible for arranging transport and, if necessary, translators. It is expected that pupils taught in the first training programs, make themselves available as teachers for future training sessions.
This is Tony's garage, crowded with donated machines which have been tested.
They are ready to be packed in the container on Tuesday 27 March.
Although our Team of teaching volunteers has now been selected, we need foot controls and cords to suit Bernina models 807 and 830 and are asking anyone who can help with these spares to please contact us so we can arrange to pick them up.
Good progress is now being made on our Philippines trip in September. We have several volunteer teachers signed up but we are still looking for more. Expertise in making uniforms is particularly required. We have 5 second hand - but almost new - Janome My Excel 18W machines ready to go, and the Burwood Rotary club has now agreed to purchase another 15 new Janome machines of this same model. The 18W is a school machine proven to be very good and reliable, with a excellent range of stitches and features, such as "one step buttonhole". Having all the same model machines will make teaching much easier. We also have a Bernette overlooker ready, and the container is booked to be loaded on April 17th.
We are now putting together a program to be run at Gingoog in Misamis Oriental in early September 2012. We will have a need for volunteers to teach dressmaking and in particular those who are experienced at making uniforms. (You can read the replies we received to our standard Sewaid Questionnaire - under the Philippines button - which we sent out to ascertain exactly what sort of aid is required.) We can expect a lot of support from the Rotary club which will be visiting the area at this time. The Rotary Club is made up of approximately 50% Phillipinos, 20% Chinese and 30% Europeans, all from professional areas and Sewaid volunteers can expect a welcome second to none! There are several possibilities for good quality accommodation, with one option being right on the sea and quite reasonably priced. Rotarians from Australia visit and work in the area and we are assured that safety concerns are non existent. If you are interested in joining this trip to the Philippines in September, please note your preference under the Volunteer tab or contact us by email and we will note it on our database.
(100 Phillipine pesos = AUD$2.19)
We are now inviting volunteers to list for our Madagascan trip 13th to 26th June 2012.
If you would like to be a volunteer on this exciting adventure please let us know by filling in the form located under the Volunteer button. As before, volunteers will be selected on a first in, first served, basis but with consideration given to their particular sewing/craft skills, having regard to requirements needed for this particular trip. Additionally, Madagascar is French-speaking, so any volunteers fluent in French would be particularly valuable for this trip.
The brief details are, that we will be flying to Madagascar June 13th via Mauritius, and we will be spending 9 days in the capital, Antananarivo, teaching sewing and craft to the teachers at a vocational school for girls, called Foyer Chrétien de Jeunes Filles. On the way home we will spend a few days on beautiful Mauritius. Further details and updates can be found by clicking on the Madagascar button.
We also want some old hand machines. If you have, or know of, any old hand machines that could be donated to us, please let us know and we will arrange to collect them. Even if they are not working we can have them repaired and made good again for use in places where there is no electricity. However, please note they should be round bobbin, as the very old long bobbin machines are of no use.
If you would like to register for the Madagascar trip, or any future projects, please register by clicking on the Volunteer button and competing the form.
The dates for this trip are still not settled at this time. Teachers please let me know if you are interested in this one by completing the form under the Volunteer button.
We are still considering a trip to the island of Mindanao in September 2012. This area was devastated by a tornado - you can read more on www.rotary-eclub-greatersydney.org and at www.disasteraidaustralia.org.au. The island also has a reputation for being dangerous, but this doesn't really apply to the northern area, where we would be stationed. However, this reputation is likely to make many of our teachers nervous about signing up for this trip. However, we have been offered a stay at a beautiful resort, owned by an Australian. By all reports from other Sydney Rotarians who have visited this resort, this would be a wonderful trip and we would be very well looked after by the local Rotarians.
This is a 12 month report for a programe which was set up in Porgera, PNG in which participants took out 2 year microloans. These microloans fall due in October 2012
Below are the names of women who received training. Some have received a machine and/sewing kit. This is their progress on the project to date - 1 year
Nearly all (75%) the women who received the training are putting into practise the skills gained and are benefiting from the project. Also two trainers identified through the training have trained 56 women plus 4 women trained by another participant giving a total of 60 women.
Due to machine break down, Kay Kuni has not done much of her own but trained others to spread the skills gained.
Women are using the income generated to support their families in many ways to meet their needs.
Example 1. Judy Tangeria is a widow and this project has benefited her a lot. She receives orders from Tari in the Southern Highlands Province. Through the training she has become confident in sewing and generates good income.
Example 2. Erol Mark said; now she has money to meet her family needs and has is very happy it is benefiting her.
Women are empowered through the skills gained to make life comfortable for their own families and the community. Thanks to Rotary!
Regards,
Tony Castley
CHAIRMAN : SEWGROUP INTERNATIONAL
SYDNEY : HONG KONG : CHINA
MOBILE : 61 (0) 414 801 888
www.sewgroup.com; www.sewaid.com
tonyc@sewaid.com
In 23rd August - 3rd September 2010, Rotary conducted training for 16 women. Eleven sewing machines were given to 11 women who participated in the training on a soft loan in October 2010. Within one year these women have put into practise the training they received to help themselves and started paying their soft loans.
Firstly, we will report on the progress of the soft loan, then the progress of project by individual women who participated in the training.
Due October 2012
Below are the names of women who received training. Some have received a machine and/sewing kit. This is their progress on the project to date - 1 year
Nearly all (75%) the women who received the training are putting into practise the skills gained and are benefiting from the project. Also two trainers identified through the training have trained 56 women plus 4 women trained by another participant giving a total of 60 women.
Due to machine break down, Kay Kuni has not done much of her own but trained others to spread the skills gained.
Women are using the income generated to support their families in many ways to meet their needs.
Example 1. Judy Tangeria is a widow and this project has benefited her a lot. She receives orders from Tari in the Southern Highlands Province. Through the training she has become confident in sewing and generates good income.
Example 2. Erol Mark said; now she has money to meet her family needs and has is very happy it is benefiting her.
Women are empowered through the skills gained to make life comfortable for their own families and the community. Thanks to Rotary!
Regards,
Tony Castley
CHAIRMAN : SEWGROUP INTERNATIONAL
SYDNEY : HONG KONG : CHINA
MOBILE : 61 (0) 414 801 888
www.sewgroup.com; www.sewaid.com
tonyc@sewaid.com
Dear Sewaid Followers: Again I apologise that we have not had any Sewaid Projects this year. However we certainly have some planned for 2012.
This on again off again project- is on again! and looking good this time. We have just had Rotarians return from Gingoo in Northern Mindanao and they had a wonderful experience. They describe the place being like a Philippine Bali and the Rotary club there has everything set to go for a Sewaid program, with excellent accommodation and support. Teachers that are interested in this project either March 25/April 5th or later in the year in August, please let me know. We will lock away one of these dates shortly. This will be a great adventure.
We will be going back to Santo again in 2012. Probably the March or August dates we don't use up for the Philippines. Again teachers please let me know if you are interested in this one.
Sandra and I have just returned from Madgascar . It is a very interesting country, but also a very poor one. We have identified some Sewaid projects there, but there are some difficulties. I think the need is so great in the whole country that our normal program where we teach 15 to 20 ladies how to sew and make a living via our micro-loan program , would seem almost pointless in this country. So I think we must consider something that is more productive and has a larger effect. I visited a Vocational school in Antananarivo the capital and here they are teaching adolescent girls sewing and embroidery but almost without any equipment what-so ever, but it was amazing some of the articles- (even ball gowns) they had made, all hand sewn.
So if any teacher is interested to go to Madagascar next year, probably about June 5th with a team of Rotarians doing all sorts of other good work, please let me know. If you can also speak French, that will be a bonus! The date will be June 5th to 21st.
For more about our last trip, do see my Madagascar/Uganda report HERE.
Mother with children making clothes to sell, which are hanging up behind her
Ladies sewing with old style hand machine
Before Madagascar we went to Uganda. Again this is a very poor country, but a little easier to get around due to English being the main Language and the strength of the Rotary Clubs there. As a result of our trip we are now very involved with a small school run by two 25 year old Australians at Katuuso - about 90 minutes out of Kampala. Dave and Annabelle who run this school also want to engage the local community by starting a sewing school . Sewaid will have to get involved with this. This may be late June or September October.
Again please read my report HERE, and let me hear from you all soon!
Take a look at their website www.uff.org.au
Regards,
Tony Castley
CHAIRMAN : SEWGROUP INTERNATIONAL
SYDNEY : HONG KONG : CHINA
MOBILE : 61 (0) 414 801 888
www.sewgroup.com; www.sewaid.com
tonyc@sewaid.com
Unfortunately some of our prospective projects for this year have not eventuated for one reason or another, but here is an update on what we are still looking into.
Right now we are talking with Rotary in Santo Vanuatu regarding going back there to do another beginner class and at the same time an advanced class for some of the students we taught 3 years ago.
This is likely to be either in November 2011 or April 2012. More information will be available shortly.
We are going to Mozambique in September with a Rotary Group to investigate a request for sewing teaching that we have received from there. If everything is workable we could be going back with a Sewaid program in March 2012, and again at that time it would be also with a group of Rotarians going over to do other projects at the same time. Once again we will keep you posted on these projects.
We are still also investigating projects for Tanzania and Unganda, but these are still in the very early stages.
Joan Giacomenti and Jan Cameron, travelled last month to Mongolia where they successfully taught basic sewing to some of the teenagers at the Lotus Centre. Sewaid assisted in supplying 3 new machines and some accessories, and we gave the ladies a run over on the use and service of the machines before they went. All in all it was a successful project but there is no follow up project for Sewaid at the moment.
Regards,
Tony Castley
Unfortunately the program in Southern Philippines is proving to be something different than what we expected. It now appears that many of the women selected for the program can in fact sew quite well , some of them having worked for tailors etc. It appears now that their main aim is to open a shop where they can sell the articles they have made and take in alterations etc. Some sewing would be done at the shop and then also supported by ladies at home. So mainly they are looking for help to secure sewing machines which would be domestic machines for the ladies sewing at home and industrial machines in the shop. To set up such a shop is quite an undertaking- and if we sent volunteers to help set with this, it would have to be people with experience in this area.
So I have asked for them to give me a business plan where I can see the cost of manufacturing the articles they plan to sell, and to ensure they can be sold at a profit - given that China made clothing in the Philippines is extremely cheap to buy. Currently I am waiting on a reply.
Here we have been requested to teach some senior girls at the Lotus orphanage in Ulaanbaatar . Initially I am helping two ladies for Wahroonga Rotary who are going up to set up this program. Sewaid will help with two new machines and one new overlocker. Therefore we will await the return of the Wahroonga ladies before we can assess whether we need to run a more extensive training program there later in the year, or next year. We are also waiting on more information from a Buddhist ladies organisation we previously gave some sewing machine to in regards to whether they still want a training program.
I am meeting with a lady from the Blue Mountains this week, who wants us to run a program at a women's organisation that she has established in Uganda. This has some possibilities for one of our standard programs.
A visit to that part of East Africa could also involve a visit to the school of St Jude in Tanzania. This could be in September/October. More detail next week.
We have finally determined that all the micro loan money from our 2007 program in Santo has now been paid back, and we have some A$3,000 in the bank there. So we are almost certainly going to run a new Sewaid program there later this year. I am waiting on replies to some of my emails . More news hopefully next week.
Staying at our home this week we have had Judy Chanaud, who lives in East Timor 9 months of each year where she organises water purification programs for the remote and very poor area of Oecusee. We are looking at a possible Sewaid programs there.
So sorry we still don't have definite programs arranged for this year as yet, and as a result the most likely program will be one or two projects in the second half of this year. Thank you to the new volunteers that have registered just before Xmas and since, and we will hopefully get in touch with you again soon regarding our next trip.
Sandra and I have just returned this week from five weeks overseas, which included attending the Rotary International 2010 Convention in Montreal Canada. After the conference we toured Eastern Canada, then after a few days in New York City, we went onto a Nile Cruise in Egypt and finally we had a week in Southern Thailand where all our family came and joined us. Now we are playing catch up with all the mail, email, and Sandra has been washing for about two days and we wish it would stop raining here on the Central Coast.
As usual the Rotary Conference was fantastic. There were some 19,000 registrations, the largest conference ever held in Montreal. The opening session at their wonderful Bell Centre was held in two sessions of 9,000+ people and packed to capacity.
There were some very inspiring guest speakers. Just before leaving Australia, Sandra bought me the book "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortensen - as she had been told "Tony would love this book". So I read it on the plane going over, and then who was one of the guest speakers - Greg Mortensen. What this man has done blows me away- talk about the power of one! I am now reading his second book "Stones to Schools" - amazing. As you probably know he has build some 130 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan mainly for girls. In his books he quotes the popular expression "educate a boy and you educate a man, educate a women and you educate a whole family or even a whole community". I sort of think in a small way our Sewaid program is like this . We educate a small group of women but it usually helps the whole family and sometimes a whole village.
Pauline Fenech our teaching program co-ordinator is well progressed with the program for PNG next month and the teachers are all making patterns and samples under Pauline's directions. Many thanks to all for the great work you are doing. It is exactly one month today we fly to Porgera from Cairns and via Mt Hargen.
Patty has organised accommodation in Cairns at the Park Regis Piermonde Apartments and Pauline is planning that we have an afternoon get together there on the afternoon of the 21st or if not there another suitable venue. Then we should all have dinner together that evening.
Many thanks to our following sponsors:
Barrick Mines: Who are very generously flying us all to Porgera PNG free of charge and looking after our accommodation and meals etc. It is very generous of them and we sincerely hope that teaching the ladies up there to sew will have lasting advantages for the whole community. Barrick mines are owned by a Mr Peter Munk of Canada, who has sponsored many philanthropic programs such as a major cardiac centre at a Toronto hospital. We recently had the opportunity to learn more about Peter through Joanne Bagman a lady we meet on our recent Egypt trip. Joanne is a Professor of Medicine, and Staff Nephrologist at the University of Toronto. Joanne's husband Earl is a paediatrician specialising in Lupus disease and has been responsible for much of the training in this field in Australia. We enjoyed spending several days with Joanne and Earl on a Nile Cruise.
SSS Pty Ltd: Suppliers of all the sewing accessories, interfacings and some of the fabric, plus thanks to the SSS warehouse managers who prepared and despatched the shipment for us.
Husqvana: Who donated to us 4 new Husqvana sewing machines.
Janome Australia: Who overhauled and checked five good second hand Janome machines.
Singer Australia: Who overhauled and checked two second hand Singer machines for us.
Simpliciy and Mc Calls: Who both have supplied us with a number of patterns.
Thank you to all these companies, without your support we couldn't run these programs.
Sandra and I have just returned from East Africa and India after a wonderful (if not rather hectic) trip.
We toured Tanzania, Zanzibar and a little of Kenya, and we also went Gorilla trekking in Rwanda. Everything was fantastic! We saw the big five wild animals many times at close quarters and the Gorilla experience was absolutely amazing, even though one big 200kg Gorilla actually knocked Sandra over and walked over her! She wasn't hurt at all - as they are not at all aggressive to humans. Sandra was standing in a narrow pathway which the Gorilla suddenly decided he wanted to walk down, he moved very quickly and didn't give Sandra enough time to get out of his path.
Tony and Sandra observe one of the teenage Gorillas.
They spent an hour with a family of 12 Gorillas - from babies to the large Silverback.
The gorilla trekking is really something very special if you ever get the chance, and additionally Rwanda is an amazing country considering the horrific genocide they had in 1994.
Unfortunately Tanzania and Kenya are very poor countries, and with many millions living in slums which have to be seen to believe. It is very sad to see. When we visited the School of St Jude and some other Rotary projects, you see a small glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. But so much more has to be done, as it is completely unfair for millions of people to live in conditions like this.
Many of you have heard me talk about this amazing school started by an Australia girl, Gemma, in 2002 with 3 students but now with 1,300 students, 3 campuses and over 350 staff. Here is a small report you will find interesting. DOWNLAOD (PDF format)
Gemma is currently touring Australia. She will be speaking in almost every Australia city and some large country towns. Check their website www.schoolofstjude.co.tz for times and places.
Rotary Clubs and Rotarians from around Australia are sponsors for more than half the children at the school. And Sewaid may be involved with setting up a sewing workshop at the school sometime in the future!
Yes in the photos, those are live chicken being held by some of our team, which are presented as a welcome gift at St Judes for important visitors.
Rotary visitors enjoying a song presented by one of the Junior classes.
Visiting Rotarians are presented with live chickens as welcome gifts.
Schools out and the day students look for their bus. The school operates 20 brightly coloured busses which pick and return home all the 350 students each day.
Junior school assembly held every Friday morning.
We called into India on the way home to participate in an NID (National Immunization Day for Polio). We went to Hyderabad in Rotary District 3150 because that is where our district and several of our 9680 clubs had projects last year. Unfortunately the local Rotary club tried too hard to take us on an exhausting journey (7 hours road and 2 hours by boat - and the same again on return) to show how they take the program to a couple of very small remote communities living a very basic existence on some islands in a huge lake.
It was interesting and I administered the drops to just one child, but all in all the day was too exhausting- especially as we stepped off the plane (after 24 travelling) straight onto their bus and the 18 hour day trip!
Tony concentrating carefully as he prepared to administrate the oral Polio vaccine.
Others from Australia went to NID's further North in India and were involved several days in immunising many hundreds of children against Polio. The good news is that virtually every child from 1 to 5 years across the whole of India was immunised over the NID 2 -3 day period- in all 177 million children. Wow that's really working towards Rotary's goal to END POLIO NOW!
Yes after 25 years at trying to eliminate Polio from the World, Rotary has just four countries left to succeed - India being one of them. Also in the photos you can see me really concentrating as I am about to administrate my first ever polio vaccine drops to a child on these incredibly remote islands!
Tony Castley
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