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Joe’s Tailoring Workshop
The story continues
Joe tries again to set up a tailoring
workshop
Joe was very happy to receive another ten sewing machines
from TWAM and persuaded a local church to give him a
room for training. He found another ten women to train,
but this time he asked them all to make things they could
sell in the local market while they trained. They were all
happy to do this and gave half the money to Joe to help
pay for the costs of the workshop and kept half for themselves.
From the half they kept, they used half to support their family
and gave half back to Joe to save up to help buy their own sewing
machine at the end of their course. The money they raised was divided:
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For every 1,000 shillings or kwacha the women made, they gave:
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Joe 500 to help fund the workshop
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Kept 500 for themselves and
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Gave 250 back to Joe to bank for them
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Kept 250 to support their own families
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Joe taught the women tailoring over the coming year and they were soon able to make clothes good enough to sell in the local market. They were very happy to see their hard work rewarded when they were able to set up a small market stall to sell their clothes.
Joe was pleased to see the women helping with the costs of the tailoring workshop and was able to plan ahead and apply to TWAM for another ten sewing machines, so all the women would have a machine when they finished their course. Joe paid half and the money the women had saved up paid for the other half of the cost of the shipping.
Joe also felt confident to rent larger more suitable premises because he knew over the next few years of training he would have a regular income from the women he was training.
The women were very thankful that Joe had carefully Project Planned his workshop and that he had thought through how he would fund it and support the women once they completed their course. They were also so thankful that Joe had suggested a Micro Finance Savings scheme so they could leave the course with a TWAM sewing machine of their very own, something they never dreamed possible.
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Joe’s plans to train many women are a great success
1. What did Joe do differently this time?
2. What can you learn from Joe’s story that will help you plan for a project that will last for many years?
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If you would like to learn more about running a successful project, click here for our setting up a Self-Help Cooperative pages
If you would like to learn more about ways to finance your project, click here for our Community Savings Scheme Guide
To download a PDF of Joe's story click here