Sowing A Sewing Business

Sumbati and Botori are two young women with a lot of determination.

After completing one year of vocational training at The Faraja Centre in Arusha, our two budding tailors’ sewing business is up and running. Sumbati was sponsored by Maasai Partners and Botori by MP partner organization Sisters for Peace, to attend one year at Faraja—a vocational school that trains young women in cooking, sewing and other practical skills.

Since graduating late last year, the two girls have joined forces—with support from MP they recently opened a small shop where they sew and sell in the heart of Karatu.

Sumbati and Botori at work

As challenging as starting any new business is, the girls are working hard and putting in a lot of hours and enthusiasm to get their feet off the ground. With their first six months of living and business expenses covered by Maasai Partners, they have plenty of time to settle in and start to make names for themselves in the local community.

These two strong-minded single mothers don’t waste their time between customers. On top of fulfilling their tailoring orders, keeping the shop stocked with new fabrics and looking after their two respective young children, Raheli and Ezekiel, they have started to make bracelets and necklaces out of beads.

Their idea is to slowly build up a diverse stock in their shop, in order to make themselves stand out from other local tailors in the area.

The two young women have a long way to go, but we are all excited here at Maasai Partners to see where this business, combined with their hard work and determination, will take them. Keep your eyes out for future updates on these two and their exciting journey ahead.