We will be going back to Santo again in 2012. The dates for this trip are still not settled at this time. Teachers please let me know if you are interested in this one.
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 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.
We are planning to go back to Santo in the North of Vanuatu. We were there in 2007 and all of the micro loans have been repaid so we have been requested to run a 2nd level program for the students we taught last time, as well as a new beginners course at the same time.
If you are interested in being a volunteer teacher for our 2011 program, please register on the Volunteer Teachers page.
We haven't heard very much from Vanuatu at all in the last year. We did receive a spread sheet some time ago which indicated the Santo group had already paid 80% of the payment for their machines and were at that time actually ahead of their payment schedule. We are chasing up now for the latest information on both the Santo and the Port Vila groups.
Vanuatu water tank
As you can see the water tank at the hospital is now installed. This tank was paid for by the ladies from the Vanaro Sewing Club.
We have just returned from the Vanuatu Sew+aid program and the video we shot in April is now accessible directly for this website. Simply click on the tab above.
You can watch a video we made of the trip by clicking HERE (11MB). A higher quality download version is available HERE (72MB).
In Port Vila we ran an advanced sewing course for 14 of the ladies who started the micro loans program two years ago. This course was taught by Brisbane teachers, Sylvia Gillard and Jan Phillips, and the lessons we held each day in a classroom (of a sorts) which we hired from the Agricultural Dept in Port Vila.
Jan and Mary at Pt Vila
Sylvia laughing at Pt Vila
The program went exceptionally well, and the students completed a patchwork bag fully lined, a mans shirt with collar, buttons & button holes etc, and a rag doll during the week long course. Additionally lot of techniques were taught.
On the final day, this group made a donation of A$1,000 (VT83,500) to the local Vila Hospital for the purchase of two much needed water tanks. The money was part of what these ladies have successfully paid back through their micro-loans for the machines.
Congratulations to Jan Phillips and Sylvia Gillard who did a fantastic job, often in quite trying conditions.
Annie and Josette at Port Vila
Blue star bag
Sandra with Port Vila ladies
Josette and Edmas at Port Vila
Janet
Five Sewaid teachers: Laurie Kerr, Judy Davidson, Barbara Hall, Judy Jones and Anne Neal went to Santos, a more remote northern island, where they taught 16 new recruits.
Laurie, Barb, Ann, Judy, JJ at Santos
Santos group picture
The 16 new Singer sewing machines, fabric and all accessories that we shipped in March, very timely arrived on the morning we started the lessons!
The teachers lodged in, and the program was held, in the Santos Rotary building which held a few challenges for us, in that it was very hot with very few fans, no hot water, and very basic beds etc. However the ladies were wonderful and we received a lot of help from the Rotary Club.
JJ at Santos
JJ teaching
All but two of the recruits only used the new machine with the manual handle. Most were afraid of electricity or did not have electricity at their homes.
During the week, the ladies (recruits) all made a skirt, a top and most finished a pair of pants! A wonderful effort as many had never used a sewing machine before.
Our five teachers worked from 8am in the morning to 4.30 every day for five days, and it was wonderful to see the progress made every day.
Ann & Barbara at Santos
Laurie Kerr at Santos
Congratulations to Laurie, Judy, JJ, Barbara and Anne!
The Sew+aid volunteer teachers met at Sydney International Airport. As we had previously not met there were many phone calls back and forth arranging our meeting place. We chatted over coffee, and then met with the Rotary contingent of our group. We were presented with our stylish Rotary T shirts and yellow Australia badges. After much weight by kilo juggling of our luggage, we waited for our flight to Pt Vila, which left at 7.30pm and was a 3.5 hr flight. We were very well looked after by Air Vanuatu, (perhaps the T- shirts helped) and were met at the airport by Tony and Sandra Castley. The time being 11.30pm, we were presented with a shell necklace as island music played in the background. Part of our group slept at the Pt Vila hospital, and the overflow stayed at Trade Winds Resort. Next time I'll put my hand up for the resort!
Our entire group breakfasted at the hospital quarters, and the grapefruits were to die for. Tony suggested a visit to church would be very interesting. The singing was very inspirational. There was a lead singer with guitar, and keyboard player and a choir. Such enthusiasm for church, but some of the kids had their minds elsewhere.
We visited Sunday school next door and listened to them singing. Such beautiful harmonies for the little ones. The island children are cute with their curls and big brown eyes, and all of course dressed in their Best Sunday outfits.
A window of time before our flight to Espiritu Santo, and it's into the bus to visit the Cascades. This is an amazing series of waterfalls created in heaven. Lots of glorious vines and trees and flowers abounded. A lookout gave us a magnificent view of Hideaway Island out in the bay. The paths were slippery and we climbed the ropes through the water, to go right to the top. The spray of water was very forceful, like a spa on your back. We reluctantly leave and head for the airport. Some angels have made us a packed lunch, which we eat while waiting for our departure.
The pilot draws our attention to a newly active volcano, which we can see out the window. More about this later. Our group arrives in Luganville around 3.30pm, and two local Rotarians, Dudley and Nichear meet us. The roller doors of the airport I found very amusing, nothing like fresh air. Taxi, Rotary style, was interesting, resembling a twin-cab 4WD. We placed our luggage in the back and some of us piled in front. The overflow passengers had to ride with the luggage- nothing like Vanuatu style air conditioning, 4x80 (four windows down and 80kms per hour). Tony Castley had a new windswept Mohecan style of hairdo. A short trip from the airport, and we arrived at what we called 'Rotary House'. Some very luxurious accommodation awaited us, definitely more luxurious than Pt Vila, ahh, until we found the bathrooms! A cold shower, and taps, someone had scribbled in texta, 'taps, no usem, taa'. Out to the back a green swimming pool full of whatever fish, and over the back fence a nice view across to the outer islands. Some medical volunteer students, 1 from NZ, 1 from Switzerland and 1 from Germany had invaded us prior to our arrival. It was very interesting to share our travelling tales and conversations. They told us about interesting places to go and about their dive expeditions to the wreck of the Coolidge.
We decided to indulge for dinner at the Deco Stop Lodge next door, which had a beautiful pool and views. We met another group of volunteers from all over the Pacific, as they were staying for a conference. We enjoyed a cool evening eating outdoors by the pool, and surveying the brilliant stars. Our tired and hot bodies busy acclimatising, sleep came easy tonight.
We awake early this morning to a cool breeze from the ocean. A hurried breakfast and we are ready for our students. A few keen gatecrashers arrived making more students than machines. Laurie Kerr, our team leader for the sewing group, eventually sorts the names and faces. Now every has a machine without sharing. Our shipment of machines and supplies only arrives at 8.30am, after our students. So all hands help with unpacking. Tony C. and the mechanical boys still have to fit the hand-wheels for those without electricity at home, and this becomes about half our group. There are many teething problems with the new machines, Singer 970s and the mechanical boys run the machines for about half an hour each on electricity to run them in, and this helps a lot.
Students learn the basics of machine threading, bobbin winding, assembling the hook race, and cleaning and oiling. We teachers then take them onto sample work of seams, round necklines, tucks, facings and many more. Some students outshone others. This made it easy for us to select 3 groups in preparation for some pattern making next. Sandra Castley and Olive Bricsoe, our catering angels, went shopping and prepared a fabulous lunch for our sewing teachers, and hard working mechanics. After lunch, students sewed their name badges for wearing this week, and did some more sample work. Our day was positively exhausting, a true 'sweat shop' experience and we all drank litres of H2O. At 4ish our students tidied their workspace, before singing to us a most beautiful prayer and thanked us for their first day. Two more prospective students arrived at 4pm wanting a place in the sewing program, unfortunately we had to tell them next time. Our teachers all chilled out, some went walking to the excitement of the CBD (I don't know what they thought they were going to find?). Down the road through the dust and dirt, we found various stores resembling old-fashioned Coles Variety stores with a Vanuatu touch. Olive and Sandra, our champion chefs served up spaghetti bolognaise for our first night's dinner. After a few vodkas and sodas and many laughs, Tony C gave us a very enlightening documentary of the rise of SSS. We slept like logs tonight as this was truly the hardest day of work ever, and I mean ever!!
One of the most impressing things about these delightful people is that they commence and finish each day with a prayer and a hymn, and it
is sung in the most beautiful harmony.
This was the first day of our three groups. Our dining room was set up as a pattern making room, and the Rotary room was our sewing workroom. This way we could keep two groups practicing while one group traced their patterns, and selected their fabric for laying out and cutting. The two lower levels were working on improving their machine skills and speedily made their differences obvious. The first group learnt about body measurements, pattern theory and traced off their patterns onto polytrace. They were then ready for laying out their fabric and cutting out a skirt. This took most of the morning, and we had a shorter lunch, with the students bringing their lunch with them. They had hung their lunch from the rafters of the grass-roofed shelter, and would sit out on the grass in groups. By the end of the second day, we had five delighted students who could try on their completed skirts. We all took lots of photos, including two lovely children who had joined their mums during the afternoon. After our sewing day came to a close, some of the teachers went for a walk and came back wearing frangipanis in their hair and bearing gifts of these for our other ladies. Once again we had a gourmet dinner and sat around the table laughing and chatting. Later we were surprised by the return of John Briscoe, Ross and Corey Wilson, who were returning from a repair tank job near Bene, on the northeastern coastline. Their stories were hilarious and highly embellished. All enjoyed a good night.
The students arrived very punctually, and sing the usual prayers. Young Lois giggles and tries to hide her face and Patricia throws a few fierce looks at the young ones to keep them in line during the prayer. The first group begin pattern making and cutting out their tops. The tops are their second garment for the week. Those working in the sewing room practice making buttonholes and sewing samples. All students realise their time is precious and work very hard.
About 2.30pm everyone is busily getting on with the job. Suddenly we feel a massive jolt, followed almost immediately by a second one .It feels as if ones legs have been shaken out from under you. We all say to one another "what was that?' and head outside a little surprised. What we have just felt is two tectonic plates rubbing together, probably as a result of the recent volcanic activity from the volcano we saw from the plane. A couple of the students stood up on the second jolt and thought of sheltering under a table as I had been taught to do in NZ. At 4pm we called it a day. Today was the last day for Sandra and Tony before they head back to see how the Pt Villa group is going. After Tony had explained the contracts to the ladies, and given them a knowledgeable talk about electricity, they were presented with a thankyou speech from Brenda and presented with a Vanuatu shirt for Tony and a sarong for Sandra. They were also given a lei each. In the evening the group was collected by some drivers and we headed South West through Luganville township and out through some less populated farmland. This road was a continuous series of potholes, and we braced ourselves for every one. We came to a stop at Richard Lo's farm. Richard owns the LCM store in town. Perched on a bluff overlooking the sea was Richards' holiday house. One cannot take in the whole scene, but this is a most tranquil place protected by a series of small islands, and a turquoise sea just perfect for snorkelling. Richard had packed a snack box and esky, some beers and just one bottle of Moe champagne. Arriving back in town we went to the night markets and bought some bananas. Laurie also bought a bunch of fruit resembling chestnuts on the end of stalks. These tasted like fibrous parsnip and I deliberately left them behind. We had a very interesting dinner at a café, which looked like stables with a verandah. We were served via the window and our meals cost around $3 each. Mainly beef, chicken satays and steak and chips were the meals of the day. Barbara and I went over the road to an 'illegal' bottle shop, but all they had was whisky and a few soft drinks. The man who served us was waiting across the road in case he was raided. Back at Rotary House, the geckos are chirping behind the couch as they do at night. When the lights go out they hunt for moths and other insects, and don't mind climbing over anything in the kitchen, plates etc. They are very intriguing to watch.
Well today started extremely early, about 12.30am in fact. This was a shock awakening as we heard the rumbling coming and the double bunks started shaking above us. Laurie calls out for us to get into the doorway. Judy D, Anne and Barbara huddle into the doorway while Judy J. struggles out of the top bunk and bruised her foot on the way down. We have experienced an earthquake of approx 6 on the Richter scale we think. It was not easy settling back to sleep as our thoughts were only anticipating the next one but it did not come, thankfully.
Next morning, there are some sleepy heads and only Anne, Judy J. and Barbara appear to say an early goodbye to Sandra and Tony as they depart for Pt Villa. Classes were a little late starting today; we are now on Vanuatu time. Our students are very confident by now and tell us to go and have a tea break. The machines are running more smoothly now and everybody is happy. Laurie makes an inventive thread stand out of twisted wire to help the threads run more freely. Judy has also made the discovery that the green stitches (stretch stitches) cannot be operated while the hand wheel is engaged. There is too much play in the connecting pin to allow the machine to run correctly. Some final paperwork was completed and, approaching 4pm, many ladies were trying to make a run for the finish line. We all had to do a frenzy clean of the room in readiness for the Rotary meeting tonight. During the afternoon the "press" arrived and took photos and wrote notes of our story for inclusion in the local newspaper.
With our students gone for the afternoon, we all headed to the Deco Stop Lodge next door for a swim and 'beer o'clock'. We could not stay long as we needed to dress in our finest for the Rotary Dinner Meeting at 7.30pm. Laurie gave a talk on the programme and JJ and Fay presented banners. Barbara had unfortunately left hers at home and would have to post it. The dinner was very tasty and we talked about the success of the week so far. After the meeting was said and done, we had to divide all the donated fabric, haberdashery, and patterns and whatever else were left over, into 18 packs. With all hands on deck, Ross Wilson (sewing technician extraordinaire) included, Fay Kitto (sewing teacher and Rotarian) and also Corey (jack-of-all Vanuatu trades), we finished in 1½ hrs. Many big thankyous to all helpers. Our latest of nights and bedtime was 11.45pm.
Many keen students arrive early, as today is final countdown. Judy Davidson elects to teach Jenny Nampas, who comes from the Bene Dispensary on the Champagne Beach road. Jenny is a nurse who spent 4yrs on a scholarship studying nursing in Adelaide. I try to convince Jenny that electricity is better to use than trying to master the hand wheel. She picks up the sewing quite quickly and because of her Australian connections has a better understanding of the haberdashery items. Our students retire to the kitchen and whip up a magnificent lunch as a thankyou and farewell. The sewing teachers are presented with colourful traditional dresses and leis. The Nevan generosity is very warming and the food exceptional. There is a most unusual selection of food and it is not surprising the Nevan people have a high incidence of diabetes. Tinned Spam, lots of white bread, chocolate biscuits and soft drinks were plentiful on the menu. I enjoyed the sensational taste of the pineapple and banana. Our students return to the sewing room for a busy afternoon to finish in time for their presentation and fashion parade. Naiker, Dudley and 2 other Rotarians arrived for the presentation of certificates and photo line-ups. This was a very positive end to a very successful week, and was finalised with beautiful prayers and holding of hands for the singing of the prayer.
Now just how many sewing machines and habby boxes can you fit into a tiny taxi. Just hang around and wait and see. Our excited ladies headed for home, very pleased with their week's work. Many emotional goodbyes later and our sewing room was transformed back into a Rotary Meeting room. 5 tired teachers retreated to the Deco Bar for a much needed break and dinner.
We are pleased to have a day off, but no sleeping in this morning. Rotary Santo had arranged a bus, and Timmy, our driver, picked us up. He is a very tall and strong man, and an absolute gentleman. We follow a long and pot holey road into the centre of the island to visit a cultural village. We are greeted at the front road by a group of men and boys dressed in tribal gear, and welcomed and taken to a singing area. The call of the tribal drums is awakening, and the group sing and chant songs for us. The men are dressed in woven pandan cloths, and wear anklets made of large seedpods, which make an earthy sound to their dancing. They all have muscly sculpted bodies and hardly break into a sweat in the warm weather. We are shown basket weaving and the dying of pandan leaves. This is made from strips of the pandan leaf, shredded and striped like a thin string, and then wrapped and placed into a bamboo pipe. Ground turmeric root is added, and a small amount of water, and placed over a small fire and steamed for about 5 minutes. The natural basket weaving is made from light and dark pandan bark taken off the tree at different times and dried damp or dry. Their baskets are for sale in beautiful naturals, or yellow or purple or green woven with the natural colour.
We are then taken into a large hut known as the carva house. The root of the plant is ground and mixed with water, then strained through some thin bark. This resembles dirty dishwater strained into coconut cups. One sip and your mouth goes slightly numb, not a palatable taste, but very earthy. An adolescent from the tribe shows us some finger drawings in the fire dust; these are the most beautiful symbolic symbols of birds and butterflies. We are served the sweetest grapefruit prior to our departure. This tribe has come over from Pentecost to live on Santo and was a perfect host for the morning.
It is back on the road again and over the bumps to Champagne Beach. The water is emerald blue, and white sand so soft and white. This place is like heaven, with hardly a soul for company. I go snorkelling in the warm water and view small blue fluorescent fish, and many other types as well. Fish like to hide around the concrete steps and under the small concrete foundations of the jetty. A few times a year large cruise ships come into this isolated bay and are back-dropped by volcanic peaks, which jut out of the sea. This would be a most awesome sight. There are many massive shady trees and beach shelters to escape to from the fierce sun. We find a dilapidated "Champagne Beach Bar" sign where it is time for a memorable group photo. We leave this magical place, but spiritually this magical image will always be on our minds.
We head further down the coast to 'Blue Water'. This is a saltwater swimming hole with amazingly blue water and flowers everywhere. Timmy knows the language of these people, these are his people and he knows lots of them. We spot a jumper from a high tree above the largest pool, and Timmy encourages him to jump. He does and is OK. The weather has deteriated by now and is overcast and windy. Certainly not good weather for snorkelling. We now arrive at Million Dollar Point, just close to the wreck of the SS President Coolidge. The American army left behind airfields and bomber wrecks, and sank their military equipment after the war providing this famous dive sight. The Coolidge, a 1930's luxury liner, was converted into a US troopship and lies in 20-70mtrs of water, consistently providing a Mecca for divers for all over the world. There is a lot of rusting weaponry left rusting away on the shoreline, which makes an interesting afternoon's fossicking. As the afternoon light decreases we arrive back in town and go to visit Richard Lo's LCM shop, where we do some last minute shopping. Can 5 fabulous sewing ladies fit in a very little taxi, well yes they can, and with a bit of ' huffin and puffin' up the hill, we arrive back at Rotary House. We need to pack early tonight, as our final departure is very early. I hate the red-eye special planes, the ones that always leave at a time when one is normally asleep.
Nickear and Dudley pick us up at 7ish this morning for our flight back to Pt Villa. Anne faces a last minute panic at the airport and cannot find her passport. Nickear drives her back to Rotary House for a last check of the bedroom and she eventually finds it has slipped in between the lining of her handbag. We fly back to Pt Villa in a Twin Otter plane (22 seater), and the views out over the islands are just spectacular. On our return over Pt Villa bay, we fly directly over Hideaway Island, another beautiful place to stay. The surrounding mountains look tropical and lush like scenery out of a Jurassic Park movie. Tony C and another Rotarian meet us at the airport. We join up with our full group now, and go in two buses with two cute drivers for a trip around the island of Efate. We travel along the western coast line past the islands of Lelepa and Moso. These are the islands where Celebrity Survivor was filmed 3 years before. We stop for a short break at Pt Havannah, so American named, and find stalls selling lots of shelly things. As we travel further along the coast, our driver Carl points out lots of World War II relics, and evidence of buildings abandoned by the Americans, and everywhere is overrun by "American Leaf" a vine that strangles everything in its path. We lunch at Beachcomber Lodge, which is owned by an Australian who has been there for 20 something years and wants out. Further along the bumpy coastal road we stop at Eton for a snorkel. This is a small-protected bay with rocky outcrops, which provide very good hiding places for many varieties of magnificent fish. Nemo is elusive today, perhaps another time. We return to Pt Villa hospital for a warm shower (some lucky ones) and a change for dinner. We all have a magnificent Chinese banquet and exchange much chatter about the happenings of the last week.
The howling neighbourhood dogs wake us at 4am, and we barely get back to sleep before the alarm sounds for our 5.30am pickup. We are there at last, and with our luggage taken care, of Barbara and Laurie hit the shops at the airport. This is a very easy flight home, and after a wonderful plane breakfast, everyone takes a nap. We return to the chaos of Sydney Airport and are treated kindly by our customs staff. I told you the Rotary shirts worked their magic again. We are soon free, back into the real world. We say our many goodbyes, especially to Sandra and Tony C who have looked after us magnificently in a foreign country. We head our separate ways homeward bound.
Until next time.
Written by Judy Davidson
With input by our 5 sewing Teachers.
May 21, 2007
The program got off to a shaky start when in November 2004 we packed up all the machines and equipment and sent it over to RAWCS (Rotary Australia World Community Service) who were going to ship it all for us. Unfortunately there was some difficulty with Customs and as a result the goods were impounded for almost 3 months in Vila. In November, Helen, one of our teachers went over to Vila, hoping that the shipment would be released. Unfortunately it wasn't and all she could do was to teach some very basic hand sewing.
However in February this year, the shipment was released and 18 Nevan women were set up with new treadle sewing machines, and a generous supply of fabric and haberdashery to get them started.
Two Australian sewing teachers, Helen Rose and Ohna Green generously gave 2 weeks of their time and in quite difficult conditions, taught the women how to sew and make basic clothes. Sandra and I also went over at the same time and helped assemble the machines and assist the teachers. I also taught one of the unemployed husbands how to service the machines and fix basic problems.
The starting kit of fabrics and haberdashery was supplied free, but the machines were given on the basis that the women would pay for them over a period of 2 years, at a reduced cost of A$200.00 (retail value A$499) making payments of A$10.00 per month.
It is now nine months since we started the first sewing group in Vanuatu. The 18 women formed a self-managed group called the Vanaro Womens Club, with a Secretary, Treasurer, President and Vice President, and they have held regular meetings.
These meeting have not always been easy to organise because communication between the members is often difficult, and also they have nowhere to meet, so they meet in a park on the 1st Friday of every month. At the meetings they collect the payments for the machines and also bring along some of the things they have made, and often they organise a talk or lesson on some particular sewing project.
Payments from the women have been made quite regularly, and most of them are right up to date with their payments. Just one or two have fallen behind, but the other women are trying to encourage them to catch up, however because others are ahead, the total amount is right on target.
Although the women are going surprisingly well, they do need some further counselling and support. I am planning to go over soon and do a number of things for the program including:
Many thanks again to our sponsors (listed back page), particularly Singer Australia for donating the machines.
This is a program where the aid that we give helps people to help themselves. It gives a start or opportunity, from where people without hope can suddenly start to work and feed their family without further aid and feel proud and self confident.
It is also self generating, in that the program is such that the funds and the infrastructure can be used over and over again to expand and aid many more people in need.
It has also been very much appreciated, and in the words of one of our women "I can't believe that anyone would do this for us."
However this is only a pilot program and this group will need further assistance.
And we also need to get the recognition and assistance this program deserves from local authorities.
Furthermore we have been requested to look into starting a similar program in Mongolia. Currently we are looking for machines and materials to start this. Our stocks are very low at the moment because we gave all our stocks to Sri-Lanka and Indonesia after the Tsunami.
Tony Castley
Organiser for Epping Rotary Inc.
In the republic of Vanuatu, unemployment is around 96% and there is virtually no opportunity for work or self employment for most adults. The people live a very basic existence, often without power and most of the modern facilities Australians would believe are everyday necessities. Furthermore, the country has been ravished by cyclones in recent times and this has worsened the economic situation for the Government and the people.
Rotary from Districts 9690 and 9680 in NSW have been working in Vanuatu for some years, involved in programs such as rebuilding hospitals and clinics etc and the benefits of Rotary involvement there are already well known and appreciated by both the people and the Government. The Prime Minister recently opened the new Eye Clinic in Vila, completely built and fitted out by Rotary.
Rotary clubs in 9690 and 9680 have been operating micro-loans in China and Vietnam for some time, and more recently have also become involved with programs in Siberian Russia. These small loans have been very successful in availing women the opportunity to have some independent income and substantially improve the economic situation of their family. In most cases loans have been or are being repaid in full.
Our program is to make available to a number of selected women in Vanuatu the opportunity to learn to sew in order to start a dress making business. After a study of the situation in Vanuatu it was determined that clothing there is very expensive and beyond the reach of many families, with the result children and adults often wear the same set of clothes for weeks, even months. There are very few dressmakers and almost no opportunity to have cloths made to order.
By establishing home dressmaking enterprises, not only will the enterprise be successful, but also good quality clothing will be available to a wider number of people at a much lower cost than is currently available. Also the enterprise will offer a much needed repair and alteration service which is also not currently available in most areas.
There are also a number of other benefits that may come out of this program, such as sewing being taught to daughters, other family members and at schools and other institutions. Additionally training in business skills, money management, loans etc. can also have far reaching benefits.
We are putting together a package (see back page) of a sewing machine and fabric, haberdashery, thread, patterns and training in dressmaking and alteration skills, as well as basic business skills. This package will have a retail value of approximately AU$1000, however the cost to the selected person will only be AU$100. This $100 will then be loaned, with repayments over 1 to 2 years - with an initial payment free period of say, 3 months to gather experience and get started. Repayments from the loans are collected into a central account and then re-loaned out again to new enterprises.
The program will initially be based on 60 home dressmaking enterprises which may be established in 3 separate programs of 20 enterprises each time. Of the $60,000 worth of goods needed for the program, $54,000 we expect to raise in donations, leaving only $6000 to raise from Rotary clubs.
These have been kindly donated by Blessington P/L, the Australian Singer distributors. The retail value of each machine is $499.
Fabris for the first shipment has kindly been donated by J. Leuttenegger P/L and further fabric for future shipments has been offered by Simplicity P/L and Ray Toby P/L. The initial fabric package will be enough for each dressmaker to make 20 garments. The retail value will exceed $300each set.
All haberdashery threads, scissors, cutting boards etc was donated by Sydney Sewing Supplies P/L and will be sufficient to complete 20 garments or more and all hand tools required for the enterprise will be supplied in the initial kit. The retail value will exceed $300 per kit.
Basic patterns made from cardboard were supplied in each kit and a master set of Mica will be supplied and held by the manager in Vanuatu.
A large plastic storage bin was supplied for keeping the kits waterproof, which is essential as not all houses are water tight in storms.
We are also investigating chairs, tables and other items that may be necessary.
The freight was organised by RAWCS (Rotary Australia World Community Service).
The training program is in the hands of voluteer Mrs Helen Rose who recently retired as the editor of Australian Stitches magazine, and her assistant for the first program Mrs Ohna Green.
We have received financial assistance from the Rotary clubs of Epping and Kenthurst and from generous Rotarians such as Russ Walker (Epping Club), Dick Hogarth, Gil Kommar, Robert O'Neil and Albert Pols of Kenthurst Club have already generously donated money.
The ladies of the Inner Wheel Club of Kenthurst helped by cutting out all the patterns etc and Mrs Simon Gross of SP Solutions kindly donated the Mica. As this goes to print there is no doubt many others not yet listed here that are helping and hopefully we will be able to update this list in the future.
© 2004-2012 Sewaid