Young women and girls who drop out of school in Malindi are benefitting from a computer and sewing skills training through a partnership between a local NGO and a training institute.
Elimu Resource Centre has partnered with Heri Ministries Sewing Project to empower semi-literate girls and women from Kilifi, Tana River and Lamu by training them on tailoring and basic ICT skills.
The girls and women take the tailoring course for two years before undergoing a three-month computer programme.
Diana Gwiyo, programme manager for entrepreneurship at Elimu Resource Centre said they came up with the project to support the girls and to prevent early marriages.
‘‘We offer them two-year training on tailoring and digital literacy course using our certified instructors from CISCO who train them on introduction to computers and social media,’’ she said.
Gwiyo said they use the ICT knowledge to research the latest fashions from across the world and come up with their best designs.
The programme has trained 50 girls and women and some are doing well in their shops.
Upon completion of the course, the girls are given a sewing machine to enable them start their own businesses at home.
‘‘Our aim is to provide them with skills, and startup to go back to the society and fend for themselves,’’ Gwiyo said.
Lynet Nyevu, 55, one of the dressmaking instructors and a beneficiary of the course said she is now able to use the internet to search for different designs.
To her, computer skills are important to keep up with trends.
She said kitenge is the most famous fabric in the area and what designs they look up online they modify to come up with their unique ones.
‘‘My vision is to open my own workshop, set up my own designs after research and share them online,’’ she said.
Nancy John Std 8 dropout from Pumwani Magarini constituency said she joined the training institution of dressmaking in January last year and is now able to make different designs.
Anthony Mung’aa an ICT instructor said they hold a session every week because of their busy schedule at the tailoring course.
(edited by O. Owino)
