Project Update: Sumar Lakhani Foundation supports the sewing program
Human and Hope Association would like to express our deepest gratitude to the Sumar Lakhani Foundation for their unwavering support for our sewing program since 2014. Thanks to their most recent generous contribution, we have been able to help 14 students, including two government teachers, successfully graduate from our course and gain the skills and knowledge they need to start a new career or a business.
It is incredibly rewarding to see that all of our students are now confident in using their newly acquired skill. Eight of them have already completed their sewing course, and three have secured jobs at ethical factories. One student is still searching for a job outside, while another four have started their own home sewing business. Meanwhile, the remaining six beginner students are set to continue their studies in the advanced class.
Despite the challenges we faced this year, such as recruiting new students, seeking job opportunities for graduates, and teaching online, we are proud to have achieved a number of significant milestones. For example, we have maintained an average attendance rate of 93% in our classes, and we have reduced domestic violence by 100%. We have also seen 92% of our students generate additional income from sewing, and 100% of them have improved their life skills and outlook. Moreover, 92% of our students have increased their confidence and leadership, and 100% of them, as well as our teacher, have passed the assessment survey.
We are especially proud of our students' success stories, such as that of Savoeurn, a single mother who studied with us for almost a year and is now working at an ethical factory. She says she is thrilled to have gained a skill and more knowledge through our program, and to have secured a job during the Covid-19 outbreak. Her story is just one of many that highlight the impact that our sewing program has on the lives of our students and their families.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Sumar Lakhani Foundation once again for their generous support, as well as for their trust and belief in our mission. We have provided 72 machine loans to our sewing students so far, with 50 of them paid back by our students, and 22 currently being paid off. Thanks to their continued support, we plan to provide 14 new machine loans to our new students in 2022.
We hope that our partnership with the Sumar Lakhani Foundation will continue to empower and transform the lives of many more women in Cambodia. Together, we can make a difference and create a brighter future for everyone.
