Roses of Mbuya tailoring project

The Roses of Mbuya is a tailoring project in the Mbuya Parish, Uganda that offers skills training and employment opportunities to local people living with HIV/Aids.

Once the clients have undertaken an intensive four month training programme they are able to borrow a sewing machine from the loan pool to set up their own business or work for a local contractor. A large number of the clients are recruited on a regular basis to make bulk orders for local suppliers, which provides an important source of income. As well as learning tailoring skills, the trainees are taught to make jewellery, wallets, bags and household accessories.

More than 68% of the active clients are women, many of whom are single mothers or widows. Barclays is working with the Roses of Mbuya to train 50 women and provide them with opportunities to generate income for themselves and their families.

Project targets

50 women to receive comprehensive tailoring training

Household income to improve by 30% once the training is complete

More than 230 children will be able to attend school once the trainees start earning an income

 

Impacts to date

22 women have received comprehensive tailoring training

As a result of Barclays support, the project has purchased new training materials, recruited an additional training facilitator and more sewing machines for the loan pool. For many women this will provide the much needed income to pay for their children to go to school or to get the medical assistance they need.

Nandudu's Story

Nandudu is a 45 year-old woman and a widow with six children to look after. Before she joined the Roses of Mbuya programme she was at home and unemployed, occasionally selling vegetables to the local community on her small veranda. Nandudu completed a one-year tailoring course and at the end of it received her course certificate. She also borrowed a sewing machine from the loan pool to enable her to start to earn an income for herself and her family.

Initially, Nandudu looked for clients within the local community who needed to have their clothes sewn, and she has built up some regular work. The programme also has a contract with the local school and when they receive large orders they recruit Nandudu to provide additional resource to ensure it is completed quickly and professionally. She told us that “One of my proudest moments was when most of the things that we made were sold and we got a bonus".

Nandudu is now thinking about the future for herself and her family "My children now go to school like other children and I have a really positive attitude to life. I plan to work hard for the future of my children because I still have a long life ahead of me".

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