Cottage Industries

MURIEL MANNING TAILORING SCHOOL

If 20 people donate only $10 each a month, TMA can teach 60 women to sew a year!

In January 2009, a master tailor with 20 years experience supervised the first sessions of TMA’s newest project—sewing and tailoring classes in Nimboli, India. The class, primarily for women, facilitates learning how to sew for families and for profit. The course is patterned after an Indian government program and is designed for twenty students for four months with two primary teachers and one assistant. The women learn to sew on non-electric machines because many of them lack electricity (or reliable electricity) in their homes.

Ten women visited the Project Manager after the first classes were held.  Read Jeanette's story here.  She summed up the purpose of their visit quite succinctly:

“The gist of it is they [the women of Nimboli] want new sewing machines and they want to start the sewing classes again soon. They are so hungry for assistance and are showing so much drive and initiative to learn. What can we do?”

Here’s what we can do. A generous donor provided funds for both the program start-up and for new sewing machines. Now we’re on our own! Donate now to make this dream a reality for these women. If 20 people pledge $10 a month, we can help 60 women this year.  Donate now.

SOAP MAKING

Stay tuned—Soap making is the next cottage industry TMA wants to support in the Thane District of India. Classes are being developed on how to make soap and how to sell it at market.