Two weeks ago, seven young women walked out of Heri Sewing College beaming with excitement and proudly holding onto their newly acquired sewing machines. With this foot pedal sewing machine, each of them will go on to establish their business back in their villages; sewing school uniforms and clothes for special occasions for their clients.
For most of these young women, life had been bleak in the beginning. With some of them having dropped out of school early and having had to live in abject poverty. Their joy during the graduation ceremony was that of a woman whose life had totally been transformed; her purpose in life reinstated and a deep hunger to thrive unleashed.
As she goes out of the gate carrying her sewing machine in a tuk tuk taxi headed home, she is fully aware that the doors to independence have been opened. She can now dream. She is at last in a position to support her family as she has desired for so long. She knows too that in a great way, the responsibility of caring for her younger siblings rests on her. And she is committed to bring change to her life and that of her family.
“The story that God has for us, is bigger than us. It is our unique imprint on this earth.”
Soon after the graduation, school resumes and we have new girls walking into the college. Eager to learn. Like the young women who just graduated, they come in unsure of what to expect. But one thing is clear in their eyes, they’re hungry to learn. This is their one shot to change the stories that have been told of them for many years.
So much awaits them in the two years that they will be at the sewing college. Not only will they study under highly skilled instructors, they shall also receive digital literacy and English lessons at Elimu Resource Centre. The moment the Elimu Girl takes her first step at peddling the sewing machine, there she begins the walk towards freedom; freedom from prejudice, poverty, and voicelessness.
She will learn how to design dresses, skirts, shirts and shorts using recycled paper and sacks. As she watches the girls ahead of her make beautiful dresses, she is inspired that she too will get there. And this is the space where magic for her happens; seeing other girls smiling as they work through various designs. She can already see into her future.
When she sees the older girls shining in the dresses they have sewn themselves, she can’t wait to be able to wear her own designs. That she will not have to worry about not being able to afford expensive clothes rom clothing stores, brings a smile to her face.
This journey of transformation is what is so inspiring about the Elimu Girl. To see her bloom into a powerful woman ready to take on the world and its many challenges is indeed a big blessing for all of us at Elimu.
All this transformation would be impossible to achieve without the generous support of our friends, donors and partners. We continue to grow the community of friends for the Elimu Girls.
Over the last year, we have been overwhelmed by the support of inspiring authors in the USA who have picked Elimu Girls to be the recipients of the proceeds of their books.
Special thanks to the courageous authors and publishers:
• Soul Excellence Publishing, Kayleigh O’Keefe, Significant Women: Leaders Reveal What Matters Most.
• The Key Publishing House, Dr. Kristina Tickler Welsome, Authentic: Courageous Humans Who Changed Their Lives By Rewriting Their Stories.
• Exalted Publishing, Bridget Aileen Sicsko, Prosperity Codes: How to Attune To & Attract Wealth, Joy, and Abundance.
• Exalted Publishing, Bridget Aileen Sicsko, Lineage Speaks: Women Who Carry The Torch For Future Generations.
These great men and women, by sharing their stories, have awoken a new belief in the Elimu Girl that she too can share her story, whatever it is, with courage and great conviction.
