Sewing Classes COMPLETE!

After three weeks of long days full of measuring and drawing and sewing and taking apart and sewing again, we are finally done! We set out in January to form a women's group and bring opportunities for women into our tiny rural community here in Northern El Salvador, and now, five months later, we have a functioning women's group with (hopefully) good leadership and marketable skills. On Thursday, eighteen women graduated as seamstresses and we celebrated with chicken sandwiches (with bread made by a local woman and sandwiches made by a couple of the women who finished sewing early) and photos and congratulatory speeches. We had fantastic attendance throughout the course and I could see the women swell with pride as the teacher remarked that this group learned quickly and well, producing quality work. 

The class included men's pants, boys' pants, and men's shirts. Each activity the women completed in half the time designated, which left us time at the end to make patterns and sew blouses for ourselves. The teacher sent by COINDES was fantastic and endlessly patient. We took full advantage of class hours not only to complete the required articles of clothing, but to learn more. 

Every woman left with four articles of clothing, patterns for women's pants and skirts, and lots of enthusiasm. More than anything, that enthusiasm is what I want to keep alive. Many of the women have sewing machines and hopefully the others will continue to practice by borrowing machines from neighbors so their skills stay sharp. 

As the class ended the women were already asking how to learn more and when we could meet again. I'm bringing all of the grant application papers and workshop request applications to our next meeting and we will pound out their goals and plans and needs. As we progress with the group I would like to see them incorporate more members, learn more designs, learn to complete grant requests and go through the process to become a cooperative or a small business so that they can get a contract to make the school uniforms for the municipality. Uniforms were delivered this week to the local schools after FIVE MONTHS of class, and almost all were either too small or huge. Imagine the women in La Suncuya making 500 uniforms on time in the correct sizes! 

The grant application is the next step, one we will complete through Peace Corps Partnerships to ask for support from groups in the United States. With any luck, the women will be motivated enough to see the potential in starting a small business and will take the time to go through the steps to become legalized and official. 

On another note, if you're interested in going to Nicaragua, check out Noah's blog or Hilary's blog. 

New Book Count: 39

Book Count: 53

Suggestions: Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops by Jen Campbell - It will take an hour to read and if you're a book person, most of the conversations will make you laugh and cringe a little inside.

Re-read: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (science fiction) - Still just as good as ever, no matter how many times I read it. (Another book like that, that you should DEFINITELY read before watching the movie that just came out is The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.)

Currently Reading: Quiet by Susan Cain (a book about introverts and very good so far), Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie (Told from the perspective of a man born at the exact moment of India's independence, this is how India's story and his life are inextricably linked and somehow one and the same. It jumps around a lot between present and past and always drops hints about the future. I'm reserving judgment at the moment, though I think I would like it more if I had a better background on India's history.)