SEWING CLASSES

We need a place to continue the Sewing School in San Jorge.

Nearly all the women in the group want to learn to sew on the machines. Part of their traditional clothing includes aprons that have machine embroidery on it plus their traditional skirts (cortes) also includes machine embroidery. The women really want to learn to sew to be able to make these items for themselves but also are able to then make money sewing these items for other women.

We started this project with a donation of $3,000 and have used the same principles of the chicken project.

A group of eleven women do four months of classes twice a week. They are very excited about learning this skill. They now can sew purses, shorts, blouses and the traditional clothing.

We are doing the classes by lottery and the next group of eleven women have already been chosen and are waiting to start. We have a professional tailor who teaches the women and he also repairs the machines.

The women are very keen to learn anything that could help them financially. We still have many women wanting to learn to sew on machines.

Members of the San Jorge Women's Group proudly display aprons made at the Sewing Class

Alberto, the teacher

* * * * * * * *

Feb. 2007 This happy group of women are all graduates of the sewing classes that we teach in San Jorge. They are seen here receiving their sewing machines to take home. They are photographed with Jan Jantzen from Miracles in Action who was present the day we were giving out the machines. Jan has been buying machines and bringing them down to Guatemala and supporting the sewing group.

May 2007. Stan and Grace from the Canadian group Connexiones, photographed with the sewing machines that they brought down for the new graduates of the sewing class.

October 2007.- This is the current graduating class from our sewing classes. They have finished four months of classes. They have been attending classes twice a week, four hours a session for the past four months. They are now in graduate class and attending the class once a week. They are very proficient at sewing and very anxious to keep going. We have had enough sewing machines donated to us that they will all receive a sewing machine after the graduate classes finish. Thank you to the people who have donated sewing machines - these women will have the chance to be more self sufficient.