Love Sewing & Girl Empowerment

These past few weeks in Uganda have been amazing but also very busy. This week we went on a roadtrip to visit the girls in the DREAMS project across Central Uganda. This is a US government initiative, through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention aimed at preventing HIV among vulnerable girls. DREAMS stands for 

D=Determined

R=Resilient

E=Empowered

A=AIDS Free

M=Mentored

S=Safe

One of the organizations I work closely with for my research, the Uganda Youth Development Link, is working tirelessly to protect these beautiful girls as part of the DREAMS project. And, many of the girls learn business and vocational skills such as beading and jewelry making to stay empowered and resilient. We will discuss ways Tugende Design may support these girls, particularly when it comes to bead making but also sewing skills.

I also have a passion for sewing and these beautiful African fabris are like magic, a burst of colorful bold prints that demands attention in the best of ways. The girls are learning to sew and make beautiful outfits in these gorgeous fabrics.  But, they need materials, patterns and also sewing machines. And, they do not use the newer models, the fancy electric, multi stich and multi function sewing machines that I have at home.  At this point, it seems so indulgent that I have 4 sewing machines just for my own use at home in Atlanta. And, I have 1 in my Kampala home too. But, these girls use the simple "old school" pedaling kind. Even so, these older sewing machines are very expensive, costing more than $100 each in Uganda. So, we will see about doing a fundraiser or partnership to support these girls and their love of sewing. Stay tuned for updates and ways to contribute!