Sewing Academy in Mitchells Plain needs material and equipment to train youth

The Sewing Academy in Beacon Valley, Mitchells Plain, has reached out to the public for help to continue offering sewing skills to unemployed youth.

They need sewing machines and overlockers, material, yarn, cotton, zippers, tape measures, pins and needles, marking tools and thimbles.

Academy project manager, Firvouze Damon, said they offered a three-month course to unemployed youth free of charge, however, due to shortage of equipment and materials, the courses have had to be drawn out.

“The academy was registered in November, 2022 and started in February, 2023.

“It is a three-month course, but due to us not having the proper equipment to educate the youth, the course will take a little longer. The course is free of charge,” Damon said.

“We are eight students at the moment and more students will be arriving on Tuesday,” said Damon.

Maria Brander, a former clothing factory supervisor, she said she believed God used her as a vessel to help the unemployed youth and those who were addicted to drugs by equipping them with sewing skills.

Brander said when her students finished the sewing course, they were ready to work in factories.

“When I left my work at the factory, it's almost like God spoke to me and said, ‘Help my children by teaching them your skills.’ That’s when I started.

“I have three students who were on drugs. I'm trying to give them a better future. Some of the students are so happy to be here, they are excited to use a sewing machine.

“We are short on machines, we need industrial machines.

“When we get machines and the students complete the course, I will find them jobs in the clothing factories.

“When the machines are here, I want them to learn everything like sewing on buttons and stitching straight, so that they can prepare themselves to go and work in factories,” said Brander.

“The academy was started with the goal of empowering the youth, especially the girls and boys who are exposed to drugs.

“Most of our young people are unemployed, and are school leavers, so they just spend their days on the streets.

“What we are trying to do is help and support them with some sort of rehabilitation, empowering them to see that there is hope that they can get work, be self-sufficient and reclaim their dignity.

“Due to the lack of equipment we are really just trying to get donations, not in money but in sewing machines and overlockers, material, yarn, cotton, zippers, tape measures, pins and needles, marking tools and thimbles and anything that has to do with sewing… We would really appreciate the donations,” Damon said.

Anyone who would like to donate sewing materials and machines and anything that has to do with sewing can contact Firvouze Damon at 060 424 7607.

Cape Times