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Traditionally, only men have access to working with sewing machines, and hand sewing (which can be painstakingly intricate and time consuming) has been reserved for women. The job of the woman has been to be the caretaker of the family and to sew for them by hand.

With proper training and a sewing machine, the Somali woman can better tend to the needs of her family, as well as have a marketable skill to contribute to the economy of the home. They are also able to produce more items in less time, and have higher quality products to sell.

We have so far had over 150 women come through our six month long sewing classes, with a long waiting list of women wanting to take part. Many of these women have been able to use their new found skills to establish small businesses, sell their products within the community and support their families independently.