Empowering Women in Malawi One Step at a Time

As the year is coming to an end, I am wrapping up several things for Dsenyo and frantically working on laying the groundwork for big goals in 2010.  Here are some of those goals:

In 2010,  Dsenyo will...

• Help two Malawian women set up their own business, a sewing studio in Lilongwe
• Train and put three sewing cooperatives into production on some of our new designs
• Unveil our first "Made in Malawi" accessories
• Use artisan crafted fabric from Zambia and Tanzania
• Expand our wholesale business
• Donate $2,250 to community development projects in Malawi (One dollar goes a long way there!)
• Contribute to the creation and sustainability of jobs for over 30 women

We have taken our first steps towards getting Tamara and Vina set up to start their business in Lilongwe.  Dsenyo is paying for Tamara to take some computer classes to learn how to do email and basic word processing.  She is also registering her business with the Malawi government and looking for a space to rent.  My hope is that come, March, when I go to Malawi for 4-5 weeks, Tamara and Vina will have rented their space, built a large cutting table and recruited 4 tailors to work on a part-time basis.  With their sewing studio ready to go, Dsenyo will be their first and primary customer.  I will train them on industry standard techniques for cut and sew production of our accessories.  As they get experience with us, they will be prepared to expand their buisness and take on other customers.