Empower Survivors of Modern Slavery in Tanzania

Dear partners,

We are thrilled to let you know that, one year after opening, the Sewing Hope for Girls shop is now flying on its own! Thanks to you, Consoler and Eliya are running a profitable business to support their healing home for girls rescued for modern slavery. 

Currently, the shop's income is generating income that goes towards basic needs such as bus fare, fuel for the school van, and school fees for girls to attend vocational training. 

In about three weeks, 11 African Road travelers will be visiting the New Hope for Girls home. They'll meet Consoler and Eliya, learn about their incredible work in-person, and share a meal with the girls. They will be proudly representing all of you who contributed to this campaign and saw it to completion. 

Another update is that the store location has relocated from the commercial center of Dar es Salaam to the suburbs. This places the shop close to the New Hope for Girls house and Consoler and Eliya's own community, making it a perfect location -- now, their own neighbors and friends are able to shop at the store. The rent is also more affordable since it is outside of the city center. 

Consoler and Eliya will continue to grow their business by increasing their supply chain. Ultimately, they dream of franchising the sewing supply shop to help others in the community generate income and generate further income for New Hope for Girls. 

Consoler says, "we will appreciate forever for the support of existence of AfN* shop. We are endlessly grateful to you for helping us get this store of the ground. We love you!" 

Sewing Hope for Girls is an example of what can happen when people join together to make a difference. Because of you, Consoler and Eliya will have open arms for many more vulnerable girls who need a loving home in the future. You are amazing! 

Our deepest gratitude, 

~ The African Road Team

*AfN: African Road for New Hope shop

Spring is upon us and we have more exciting updates to share about Sewing Hope for Girls. We are now just a few hundred dollars away from our $9000 goal, and the shop is well on its way to becoming a smashing success. We invite you to share this campaign and continue to be a part of life transformation for young survivors of modern slavery

Between caring for the young women at New Hope for Girls, running the sewing shop, Eliya’s full-time work with the embassy, and rearing their own two children, things are incredibly hectic with the family. Through all the busy-ness, Consoler took some time to give us a few updates on their progress.

AFN continues to attract new business and customers, and to identify which items are in the highest demand. Right now, that includes zippers, buttons, and other small items. The most exciting update, however, is that the shop now generates enough income to pay two full-time workers! With the shop becoming more income-stable, and even profitable soon, Consoler and Eliya have their eye on expansion and are looking at opportunities to open additional micro-shops selling the most popular items. Opening sister stores in areas with significantly lower rent will help to create higher profit margins and ensure a more stable and sustainable future.

Thank you for being a part of this incredible story and journey and we look forward to sharing more updates soon.

Happy Holidays! With the New Year nearly upon us, I am happy to share some updates with you about the Sewing Hope for Girls shop.

This #GivingTuesday, our amazing New Hope for Girls champions raised over $1000 to bring us closer to the final fundraising goal of $9000. We are now only about $1000 away from the goal! Reaching this goal by New Year’s Eve will ensure that the store’s successful opening blossoms into long-term success. The funds will go to increasing the shop’s inventory, allowing Eliya to take time away from his job to manage and build the business, and general operational costs during the start-up stage.

The store is on its way to bringing sustainable income to support more than 30 girls rescued from modern slavery. You are the reason that these tremendous strides forward are able to happen! 

We invite you to deepen your impact by sharing this campaign with friends and considering a second gift towards this meaningful project. You can continue to be a part of life transformation for young survivors of modern slavery.

African Road Executive Director Kelly Bean and I had the chance to catch up with Consoler and Eliya in November. Our gathering in Kigali was with leaders from across East Africa to share feedback on our VICOBA business & savings program. Consoler and Eliya participated in that program in 2015 by leading a women’s cooperative through the training. During the gathering, they shared that they are very happy with the progress the store is making. Eliya is continuing to manage the store in addition to his full-time job, which makes for a full plate! Some of the girls from the New Hope for Girls house are working at the store as well.

Consoler and Eliya have also identified wholesale suppliers in Dubai who can provide supplies at a cheaper rate than those they are currently using. Cutting costs is one of the strategies that they have identified for making the store viable for the long-term. They will be switching to a different wholesale supplier in the New Year.

We can't thank you enough for your generosity in making the Sewing Hope for Girls Shop a success! Together, we can reach the goal of $9000 by December 31^st at midnight!

What a summer it's been! It brings me great pleasure to share this update with you about your impact for young survivors of modern slavery in Tanzania.

You'll be happy to know that the New Hope for Girls Sewing Shop is now up and running! The store opened in July to great success. In fact, the shop brought in $400 in its first week, making it an excellent opening week in Dar Es Salaam. The store is on its way to bringing sustainable income to support more than 30 girls rescued from modern slavery.

It is your gift that enabled the store to open. We can't thank you enough for your generosity. 

The shop is called African New-Hope Sewing Supply Shop, or AFN. Eliya and Consoler have a vision of the shop as a “one-stop shopping” destination. Eliya says, “our customers really like that we offer a variety of sewing products so that they only have to go to one store. It sets us apart from other stores in the neighborhood”. The store is located in the city center/commercial district of Dar Es Salaam.

Another exciting event of this summer was the African Road Learning Trip to Tanzania and Rwanda. Coinciding with the shop opening, Learning Trip members were able to visit New Hope for Girls to see impact that Consoler and Eliya are making in the lives of young survivors of modern slavery. One Learning Trip Participant says, “I told my family that what I wanted to do most was stand in front of the New Hope for Girls family home and to know that what I’d heard about Mama Consoler’s work rescuing girls from modern slavery was real and successful. And there I was about to go in the door to meet all these lively, confident and happy young ladies. 34 girls ages 8-23…dream fulfilled. Everything else was a bonus.”

Another Learning Trip Participant says, “I saw with my own eyes the joy, intelligence, youthful exuberance of these loving girls, who know that no one will hurt them again. They have a clean, organized, peaceful household in which all girls talents and efforts are important. They can rely on being encouraged, being nurtured and secure. The feeling of love and acceptance was awe-inspiring. It may seem miraculous to read that two people can successfully raise 34 girls, but believe me, it feels even more miraculous to be there in person! Consoler is incredible, as is her devoted husband, Eliya!”

Two months in, the store is performing solidly. Eliya says, “we are happy with the progress of the shop, and we are learning the ABCs of doing business. We are also learning more about the market.” Eliya shared with us that the main goal for the near future is to find a bigger wholesale supplier to increase their inventory and lower their overhead costs.

You are the reason that these tremendous strides forward are able to happen!

There is still $3500 remaining to fully fund the New Hope for Girls Shop and make sure that these first steps are translated into long-term success. We invite you to deepen your impact and consider a second gift towards this meaningful project. You can continue to be a part of life transformation for young survivors of modern slavery.

We are thrilled to report that progress is underway! The first portion of funds raised in our March campaign, Sewing Hope for Girls, has been released to our New Hope for Girls partners in Tanzania.

With these funds, Consoler Wilbert, Director of the New Hope for Girls, and her husband Eliya have signed a lease for the business.

In March, African Road supporters put their hearts and hands together to raise over $5000 to get this project off the ground. Plans are shaping up for the store to open soon. Consoler and Eliya are extremely grateful to African Road supporters for making this happen!

Eliya says, “thank you so much for your kind hearts, time, energy, and all the support for our programs. For us, it is more than an honor to see a group of you gathering together for us.”

The Sewing Hope for Girls business will be a wholesale sewing supply store to generate income for girls rescued from modern slavery. Consoler, who is herself a survivor of modern slavery, has dedicated her life to helping girls coming out of this horrific experience by providing a loving home and a space to heal. Consoler’s vision is for a business with a sustainable income that will enable NHGO to continue its vital work for the long term.

In just a few days, the African Road team will be in Dar Es Salaam to visit Consoler and Eliya to learn more about Sewing Hope for Girls and show even more great progress. Stay tuned! Sign up for regular updates to hear the latest news.