Production

"We are busy, busy with business. Busy as bees!" said the ladies at Luso la Manja with huge grins on their faces as they worked on their first Dsenyo order which they were awarded after successfully
finishing their training.  All of the groups we have worked with are expressing so much joy and gratitude for the opportunity to work in partnership with Dsenyo.  They not only get business from us and are
paid a fair wage for their labor, but they receive free training from Dsenyo which elevates their skills to the next level and empowers them with knowledge about product design and quality standards for an
export market.  As each day passes and as I spend more time training with our producer groups, I am more and more convinced than ever that Dsenyo's approach fills a much needed void.

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.

I have recently returned from seven weeks in Malawi (see map).  It blows my mind that I can somewhat seamlessly travel between what feels like two different worlds.  Operating in another culture is thrilling, inspiring and sometimes exhausting.  What keeps me going always is the wonderfully cheerful spirit of the Malawian people.