In
partnership with the Bitengye Designers of Southern Uganda
Bitenge
Designers Group Photo
When a woman is hungry, she says,
“Roast something for the children that they may eat.”
African Proverb
In February 2009, after much planning and fund-raising, the
dream I had for Kitambaa Designs to work with Ugandan women,
teaching them sewing and quilting, was realized. The twelve
women who participated in the three week workshop had been
subsistence farmers until that time, working in the fields from
six in the morning until six at night. They brought such
enthusiasm and willingness to work hard with them – never late
or absent, but trying and trying to “get it”, as though their
lives depended on it. At the end of the three weeks, a true
celebration complete with dancing and hoots of joy was held, as
all twelve had succeeded in learning much during our time with
them.
It was with the able assistance of my friend Joan Darling, and
local ACTS worker, Perez, as well as many others that this
happened. Most important of all to the project’s success was
Alice, a Ugandan tailor I’d met on my first visit to Uganda in
2007. She began by teaching the women how to use a treadle
sewing machine, and has now taken over as Coordinator of the
group. The women learned how to make cushion covers, placemats
and wall-hangings from colourful African fabrics purchased
locally, and have been sewing on their new sewing machines back
home in their villages ever since. The completed items are
shipped to Canada, where they are marketed at quilt and craft
shows.
Knight pressing her sample
(note coal-filled iron!) |
Joan and Kamida using the seam ripper |
Justine learning to stitch on paper in a straight
line |
Plans are already underway for a second workshop for this same
group of women, to be held in January-February 2010. Their
sewing skills have improved tremendously over recent months and
they are now ready to learn how to make new items. Opportunities
to market their products in Uganda will be explored, as will the
possibility of teaching new and different skills to more women
from the widows and grandmothers groups.
The women are now known as the Bitengye Designers (kitengye is
the name of the cotton cloth they work with, and bitengye is
plural – bitengye, they told me, because they work with many
fabrics). All of them now have the means to earn an income.
Several of their children are being sponsored so that they’re
able to attend secondary school. And Alice is being given
assistance to raise funds for a new sewing school, which could
one day become the sewing centre for the Bitengye Designers.
Kitambaa is committed to strengthening the cooperative formed by
the women, and increasing its capacity to make and market a wide
range of crafts, but could do none of this without the backing
of people at home.
ACTS (Africa Community Technical Service) is the small Canadian
NGO that has provided the infrastructure and invaluable help to
this project. Having worked in Uganda since the mid-70’s, and
having worked with widows and grandmothers for the last 15
years, they are in the position to provide essential logistical
and practical support. If you would like to make a donation to
the Kitambaa Sewing Project, please make a cheque out to ACTS
and write Kitambaa Sewing Project on the memo line, and mail it
to 590 Rocky Heights Rd., Comox, BC V9M 3E7. Any amounts above
$10 are income tax receiptable. Thank you to all of you for your
ongoing support!
Workshop classroom |
Time to celebrate |
Stella and Alice with Placemats |
