Sewing Machines for
Women of Myanmar
Bellingen Rotary organized and funded this project focused on the empowerment of women. Working with Inle Speaks (a Myanmar local representing Partnership for Change), the village Monk, and Headman), we purchased 20 non-powered sewing machines for the village ladies to commence learning how to sew. We also funded a 2 month training program by a local seamstress to teach the women higher skill levels. This was part of a 3 Phase Training Program facilitated by Bellingen Rotary and Inle Speaks:
Phase 1:
Women were trained to reach a skill level to make clothes & other items for their families.
Phase 2:
Training was expanded to create items for sale at the local market and to foreign visitors.
Phase 3:
We assisted the women to form their own business.
Rotary Sewing Machine Project Becomes Reality
This project was led by Stuart Allardice
Member of the Bellingen Rotary Club
and our man on the ground
in Nyaung Shwe, Myanmar.
Bellingen Rotary is very grateful to all those involved in this project, especially the people of Bellingen, Urunga, and Inle Speaks for their support and interest. As we hoped, this small start in improving people’s lives will continue to bear fruit for some time to come!
A unique element of this project was that the ladies agreed to pay back
the cost of the machines. At the end of 10 months the sewing machines became theirs. Afterwards, the funds received were used to develop other projects in the area.