Project News

Paintings on tablecloths

On June 12th, 2012, Vocational Training cluster started Textile Painting Course as the second short-term sewing course. The aim of the women's short-term vocational training is to promote women's social participation and livelihood improvement. It had finished the first short-term course of sewing training in February 2012. This time, about 20 women from 20's to 50's are learning how to make a design on fabric products by painting.

In Sudan, most of women were supposed to concentrate on house work and not allowed to work outside their home. Recently, such tradition tends to be relaxed in cities or towns like Kassala. However, there are few places where women can learn necessary skills to start business. Especially, the lack of equipment such as sewing machines is one of the obstacles for women to earn necessary skill. Based on the need, UNDP and JICA established a women section and its workshop in Kassala Vocational Training Center (KVTC) and provided equipment for practice.

Traditional colors which mean "Marriage" and "love", mainly used at the wedding ceremony.

On the other hand, a Japanese Expert, Mr. Atsunori Kume, indicates that offering facilities and equipment is just making an opportunity. In order to make the course able to achieve the goal, livelihood improvement, additional wisdom and ingenuity are essential.

Ms. Rogia, one of Sudanese women staffs in KVTC, is the person who organizes the course. For example, all planning, fund-raising, selection of a trainer and advertisement are her job. She has worked in Women Centre of High Council of Youth and Sport for about 20 years and engaged in supports for women's social advancement. After the establishment of the new women section in KVTC, she moved to present post.

"Because of the facilities and equipment given by UNDP and JICA, we can offer a high-quality training course. My dream is that, someday, women will be able to start a business by themselves", Ms. Rogia told me strongly. Every day, Mr. Kume and Ms. Rogia discuss how can they make the training course better and carry out their idea. On the day of the interview, there was a request from a trainee that she wanted to know not only the skill but also how to start business. Later on, Mr. Kume and Ms. Rogia immediately started their discussion and provided a lecture called "How to Start Business" at the last two days of the course. One of trainees said that the lecture was beneficial. The content of lecture was simple and the text was easy to understand. After hearing that comment, Ms. Rogia's face looked relieved.

After writing a draft on a textile by a pencil, participants apply a permanent paint on it.

Ms. Rogia, Coordinator (Left)
Many trainees say her course is beneficial because of her good selection of a trainer.

Ms. Shama, Painting Trainer (Left)
She also used to do only house work, however she started to study design in university and became a trainer of processing fabric products. "Although the work is hard, I continue because I like this", she said.

Cooperation with Agriculture Cluster and Livelihood Cluster

Three Sudanese women, who work as rural development extension officers in Technical Transfer and Extension Administration (TTEA), participated in the course. The rural development extension officer is a woman who spreads skills and knowledge of food processing, handicraft, health and so on toward women in the village. In the future, it is expected that they will teach what they learnt in this short-term sewing course in the rural area.

(Reported by Mana Jingushi, Project Assistant)