By Clare Effiong | Country Director, Rwanda
Dear Friends of Esther's Aid,
I hope you enjoy this wonderful report about the miraculous training that has taken place through Esther's Aid. As you will read below and see the beauriful pictures attached, these women have been transformed along with their lives and their hopes for a new and sustainable future.
INTRODUCTION
More than 50 women from Rusororo who were prostitutes have received three months of extensive training in modern tie and dye techniques. They were taught the process of tying and dyeing fabric, cloth or scarf, made from cotton. The training will provide the women with the skills that they need to start a small business in their areas. This will empower rural women to move from unemployment to self-sufficiency, ending prostitution and poverty in their lives.
“Empowering women is the catalyst for positively impacting the future of the community towards a transformed society." said by Clare Effiong (Country Director and Founder Esther’s Aid). She said that she is happy to see women become more powerful and she is so joyful when she sees their lives change.
Week one
On the first week of training students get the basic skills in tie and dye for the following lessons:
Introduction of tie and dye
Materials need for tie and dye
Types of colors
Use of equipments
“I was in bad condition of life where even I didn’t 500 RWF to buy potatoes for my children. But when Esther’s Aid came here and told us about this training, I felt happy because I am going to learn how get out of poverty and it will help me to earn money and feed my family." said Claudine.
Week two:
On the week two of the training women trainer taught them about:
Colors mixture
Color combination
Name of color for dye
Types of clothes/name
The trainer used all possible ways to explain the lessons and she gave them notes. She used English and the students got the notes translated in their local language when they arrived home.
Week three:
Third week of the training was about:
Basic knowledge of dyeing
Recipe for dye preparation
Procedure for tie and dyeing fabric
Dyeing fade materials
Note key for dyeing fade clothes
Week four:
Name of chemicals/ identification
Soda caustic soda)
Hydrosulphite
Dye
Challenges that they have which are:
They don’t know if they could get the chemicals used in tie and dye easily.
There are some who can’t get money for the materials that can help them to learn the craft.
Success stories:
9 fabrics were sold and they managed to earn 135 000Rwf from them.
2 of the trainees managed to get employed by one of the Chinese clothes manufacturer in Masoro.
The local names and means of patterns (designs)
The trainees gave patterns local names so that they were meaningful. It helped the women to introduce the new products in Rwanda and it will help them in the marketplace.
1. Eleson URUMURI: This means light. It is significant because the skills training from Esther's Aid has brought LIGHT into their darkness. As this light shines through them, their lives will change for the best.
2. Envelope - INYENYERI
This envelope patterns, after folding and unfolding, it looks like STARS. They name it STARS because they will shine like stars with a bright future.
3. Zebra- Crossing - Ubumwe:
They name it UBUMWE - Unity
They name this pattern UNITY because by unity, they will achieve and ascend greater heights. Zebra crossing are lines on the road that help passengers to cross safely. It's like bonding together to cross the swamp of poverty to the mountaintop of abundance. They explained that, when you want to go fast, you go alone, but when you want to go far, you go with others.
4. NEEDLE - ICYEREKEZO- This means Vision. As Esther's Aid took them when there were hopeless, gave them vision and hope through the fabric design skills, which will help them restore their hope for a better life.
Prepared by: NDAMUKUNDA Olivier for Clare Effiong
Links:
By Clare Effiong | Founder, Esther's Aid and Rwanda Country Director
By Clare Effiong | Country Director, Rwanda
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