Mustadafin helps empower abused women through sewing

For women living in an abusive environment, the prospect of a brighter future often feels like an unattainable dream. Mustadafin Foundation recognises the plight of many of these women living in disadvantaged communities and has introduced an eight-week sewing workshop in Mitchell's Plain, to help instil confidence and a renewed sense of purpose for these women. The sewing workshop teaches women the fundamentals of the sewing trade as well as basic business principles to help them start their own small garment-making business.

Sewing skills and basic business practice

The eight-week sewing workshop caters for eight women at a time and is run daily by two highly skilled seamstresses with a combined experience of 30 years in the clothing manufacturing industry. Also trained in family counselling and parenting skills, Ruwayda Ryklief and Candice Seconds provide counselling and emotional support for the women in the workshops.

Teaching the basics of business practice at the workshops is crucial for the attendees to make a success of their learnings, however there is a urgent need for volunteers with business experience to help train these women.

Ghairunisa Johnstone, founder of Mustadafin Foundation comments, "For the sewing skills workshop to truly be impactful, we desperately need the expertise of people who have a wealth of business knowledge and experience. The business mentorship side of the workshop is a 90 minute training session every second week - so essentially we need volunteers to teach four business principle training sessions in an eight week period."

For more information or to help as a business mentor, go to www.mustadafin.com.