Stitching a Brighter Future

In our journey to empower women and uplift communities, we regularly come across individuals who make large strides with just a little support.

One such individual is Elizabeth, whose life has significantly improved with the gift of a sewing machine.

Elizabeth has a talent for sewing and would spend hours repairing and creating garments by hand. Despite her skill and dedication, the lack of a sewing machine limited her productivity and, consequently, her income.

Recognizing her potential and the impact a machine could have on her life, our NGO decided to help. We purchased a sewing machine and gifted it to Elizabeth. Her productivity has soared and she can produce more garments in a fraction of the time.

We believe that with the right tools and training, many more women like Elizabeth can achieve their dreams and become economically independent. Going forward, Oasis Outreach hopes to establish a dedicated training center where women can learn sewing skills and gain access to the equipment.

Our goal is to create a space where women can receive training from skilled instructors, use sewing machines provided by our program, and ultimately, start their businesses. By doing so, we aim to replicate Elizabeth’s success on a larger scale, empowering more women to improve their lives and contribute to their communities.

Research by Mywage.org in 2023, shows that sewing machine operators in Uganda with 10 years of experience earn between USD $90 and 250 per month, while those with 30 years of experience earn between $230 and $740 per month. These earnings are broadly typical of Ugandan salaries.

For skilled tailors, direct employment as a sewing machine operator is one option, offering a steady income. Another viable option is working from home, doing local repairs, and tailoring for their community. Both paths offer opportunities for income generation and self-sufficiency.

Treadle-type sewing machines are particularly popular in Uganda due to their ability to operate without grid power, which is crucial in a country where electricity can be unreliable, with power outages sometimes lasting for hours. These manual machines allow women to continue their work uninterrupted by power cuts. However, at around $200 each, they are often too expensive for many women to afford, creating a financial barrier that prevents aspiring seamstresses from accessing the tools they need to improve their productivity and income.

Our NGO hopes to provide access to machines for more women like Elizabeth, who could not otherwise afford them. Please feel free to assist, if you are interested in donating a sewing machine.

Together, we can create a brighter future, one sewing machine at a time!