UNIFORM PROJECT: HEAR FROM OUR DIRECTOR OF MANUFACTURING

EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE

​The Employment initiative is one of many programs implemented by the Sasamani Foundation. Since 2013, it was known as Manufacturing Department but later on, it was changed to "Employment Initiative" as it offers employment to women in the society of the small and historic town of Bagamoyo located in the Coast Region of Tanzania.

Mwanahamis working on a uniform in the comfort of her home.

The department has ten (10) tailors who were recruited by the Sasamani Foundation. These tailors have locally established their working places on a small scale. They have operated their work from home, and did not have as much sales contrary to other successful tailors individual or groups who were having much to do in their shops.

​The Uniform Project started in 2017 and was a result of the sales of bags sewed by these tailors and marketed in the United States through the Sasamani Marketing Department. The collection of hand-made bags are known as "The Amani Collection".

Sasamani tailors and staff distributing school uniforms to schools.

The Amani Collection features a series of bags that are sold for the price of $40. This amount covers the bag as it is and it includes a uniform price that enables a student in Bagamoyo to benefit from a school uniform who could not otherwise afford it.

Odetha working on a school uniform shirt in her home shop.

At first in 2018, we were able to sell 100 bags with uniforms, therefore, we automatically had to make 100 uniforms. This sale not only benefited 100 students from poor families but also the tailors in the Sasamani Foundation directly as they were paid for sewing the uniforms.

HOW WE RECRUITED UNIFORM BENEFICIARIES

The Sasamani Foundation can easily reach the registered students (56) but for the non-registered students, we need to request permission from the government to reach these students who come from vulnerable families and are in need of school uniforms.

Sasamani interns and staff distributing new school uniforms to primary schools in Bagamoyo.

We were able to locate these students in 3 secondary schools and 3 primary/grade schools.

65 Primary School Students benefited were from;

1. Pande Primary School

2. Miembesaba Primary School

3. Kidongochekundu Primary School

35 Secondary School Students benefited were from;

1. Kingani Secondary School

2. Kiromo Secondary School

3. Matimbwa Secondary School

​Again this year 2019 we also had 100 bags sold therefore we had a second uniform project.

In this round, all the student beneficiaries were from Primary/grade schools.
We divided the uniforms into 4 Schools in Bagamoyo District for 25 students in each school.
Schools reached were;

​1. Kerege Primary School

2. Mtambani Primary School

3. Kimele Primary School

4. Kiharaka Primary School

The School Administration in each school we reached was so happy and grateful for the provision of the uniforms to these students as they have quite a number of needy students.

​In one of the schools we went, though they were grateful to what we have done to those students they also gave out their opinion if we can afford to provide shoes alongside the uniforms because the students were looking smart in their new uniforms but some of them were not wearing shoes.

Ernest, one of our tailors, showing a finished trouser.

​The students were so happy to have new school uniforms as it was not something they expected to receive that particular time.

​This project was a success to both students and the tailors as it put smiles on their faces each one in their own ways. With an achievement like this, we see the department going forward to higher levels.