Roses of Mbuya Tailoring Project, Uganda

The aims

Teaching tailoring skills, helping people to improve their household income and pay for their children to attend school.

The story

Barclays supports the Roses of Mbuya project in Mbuya Parish, Uganda, which offers training in tailoring skills and employment opportunities to local people living with HIV/Aids.

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

More than 68 per cent of the programme’s trainees are women, many of whom are single mothers or widows.

Results to date

As a result of Barclays support, the project has purchased new training materials, recruited an additional training facilitator and added more sewing machines for the loan pool. For many people this will provide vital income to pay for their children’s education or medical assistance.