Sewing Machines for Guyana

Joyce Morrison 250-248-5914 (Parksville), recently sent to me information and a request for help to find used sewing machines for use in Guyana. The information that she sent to me is as follows:

I am assisting Dr. Andra Thakar in his efforts to find donations of used sewing machines for a very viable project in Guyana – teaching tailoring/machine repair & maintenance, cutting of fabric, to women and young adults in Guyana. He has had one very successful trip, returning this last spring, and he is planning to go again this fall to another location where there is much need – Letham, Guyana.

I have chosen to send this e-mail to you just in case there is a possibility that you have a second hand sewing machine and would be willing to donate it. Please forward this e-mail to others that may also have a machine to donate. If not, thank you for considering this request and please delete my e-mail.

DONATE YOUR SECOND HAND SEWING MACHINE (must be in good working condition)

Andra Thakur, a former tailor by profession and retired Anthropology Professor from Vancouver Island University, is going to Letham, Guyana to teach tailoring to women with families and young adults who have dropped out of school. He will be there November 2010 - March 2011 and teach two classes a day for 16 weeks.

The acquisition of a skill such as tailoring can create life opportunities, particularly where many do not have the means to meet their basic needs of home, food and clothing. In a country where school uniforms are mandatory, tailoring and sewing machine skills are a viable means of employment.

Andra is not new to teaching in Guyana. He very successfully taught a similar course in New Amsterdam, Guyana November 2009-February 2010 with 17 graduates happily going on to earning income through their newly acquired skills. The 500+ uniforms created while learning the trade in the classroom were donated to the poorer students in the community who could not afford them.

The Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Mr. Francois Montour, was the patron of that school and is very supportive of Andra’s initiatives. Let's help him repeat the success in another location!

If you have a sewing machine that is gathering dust and you would like to donate it please contact Joyce Morrison at 250-248-5914 or Andra Thakur at 250-756-2652. In order to service the machines and get them ready for shipping as well as the time required for actual shipping, we need to receive them before the end of August. We would be delighted to pick them up at your convenience. Please – only machines that are in good working order are needed.

If you wish to make a donation or have any questions concerning this project you may contact Andra Thakur 250-756-2652 (Nanaimo) or Joyce Morrison 250-248-5914 (Parksville).

Background – more info on the New Amsterdam, Guyana experience

Twenty-five students started in the New Amsterdam project and seventeen graduated. On the second day of classes, one of the students asked what city/town I came from. When Andra said 'Nanaimo', they said, "we are going to name our school the 'Nanaimo Sewing School'!" Mr. Francois Montour, the Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, became the patron of the School. He attended both the opening and closing ceremonies and on the last day distributed certificates. They started out the learning process with sewing night garments for women then graduated to school uniforms, mostly for primary secondary school children. In the process of their training the students made over five hundred pieces which were donated to poorer children in the schools in the area. This is quite an achievement since a few of the students never sat at a sewing machine before. They were so very proud of themselves! The 'ripple effect' will have far reaching consequences. Since graduation three of the graduates have joined together and started a small garment business of their own. Another graduate, a prison officer, has started teaching female prisoners to sew. Many others will go on to earn a living through sewing garments as individual seamstresses. As he also taught how to repair and maintain the sewing machines, the graduates will use these skills to keep the machines in operating condition long after the schooling was completed. The twenty-one sewing machines he took to Guyana are under the care of a non-government organization, Guyanese Women in Development (GuyWID), and they are currently discussing ways and means of continuing the School in New Amsterdam.