Sewing machines for job-training for Philippine women, 1900 Euro.

About two years ago, a Christian outreach programme was started in a depressed area in Cebu City, on an island in the Philippines. The centre - Hansori - is located in an abandoned cemetery, surrounded by squatter shanties where drug use and petty crime are rampant. With the financial assistance of a private benefactor, a small wooden building was constructed on stilts to serve as a Bible study centre for adults and learning centre for pre-school children. The 35 sq. mtr. floor is elevated because there are tombstones beneath the structure marking the graves of members of a certain family which was kind enough to allow Hansori to use the space above it for the building. The centre is headed by Pastor Abel Baclayon and has a few volunteers who help with the programmes. 

The centre offers a free primary school learning programme to 30 children selected from very poor families in the vicinity. They are taught by a licensed teacher and a teaching aide. The centre also offers a simple feeding program for 130 kids every Wednesday. And about three months ago, a small public toilet was installed for the neighbourhood with financial support of a German tourist.
Hansori would now like to set up some livelihood programmes to teach handicrafts to the residents and provide sewing lessons to some of the women. 

Our project finder, who helps the centre as a volunteer, has this report: "We are very glad to see some gradual improvement in people's spirituality, reduced glue sniffing and drug use among children, less petty crime and improved living conditions at the abandoned cemetery. Most importantly, we see a ray of hope in people's lives. However, we can only do so much despite our wholehearted efforts. We are eager to begin our livelihood program but the lack of needed budget and facilities has kept us postponing the projects. Perhaps you can help us jump-start our sewing lessons by donating 3 electric industrial sewing machines."

The sewing machines will be used to teach ten selected young mothers. They will be taught by Susan, the wife of pastor Able, who is a qualified dressmaker. After a training period of three months they will be able to work in the garment industry. The project finder of Moments of Joy has already contacted businesses that are willing to subcontract some of their work to the centre. The profits that will be made will be shared equally amongst the women. Eventually, the women will be able to get jobs in the local industries; one of the objectives of the programme is financial independence for the participants. Once they leave the centre to work outside, new women will be trained. 

The cost of three sewing machines is 1900 Euro. 

Total € 1900,-- 

adopted by the general fund of Moments of Joy

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