Alexander Harvey

In part one of our 2022 program reflection, we shared the growth and outcomes of our English education initiative in the Nyarugusu refugee camp.  Today, we turn our attention to another pillar of Equipping Hope International’s work, vocational training for women through the Business of Hope tailoring program.

Since 2019, this initiative has equipped dozens of refugee women, many of them widows, adolescent girls, and orphans, with practical sewing skills and the confidence to pursue income-generating activities in a camp where few economic opportunities exist.  This program is about more than skills.  It is about dignity, security, and future stability.

Tailoring Program Outcomes: By the Numbers

        • 2019 Cohort: 50 students enrolled, 37 completed the full training.
        • 2020: Tailoring program was converted to COVID-19 mask production for the Protecting Hope program.
        • 2021 Cohort: 51 students enrolled, 42 completed the training successfully.

Every student who completes the program leaves with a valuable trade, empowering them to contribute to their household income and meet daily needs which is a critical outcome in a setting where movement outside the camp is restricted and job opportunities are scarce.

Lives Changed Through Sewing

The tailoring program has been particularly impactful for vulnerable women.  Many participants enter the program with no prior training and no access to tools.  After six months of apprenticeship, they leave with the ability to cut, sew, and construct garments, often continuing their practice at small tailoring centers within the camp. Some graduates have joined existing tailoring businesses to earn modest incomes, while others are waiting for additional tools or opportunities to launch on their own.  In both cases, the training gives them an alternative to harmful coping strategies that disproportionately affect women in refugee settings — including survival-based labor, early marriage, or unsafe domestic work.

“She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.” — Proverbs 31:17

This is what strength looks like in Nyarugusu.  Quiet, steady, faithful.  Each stitch a declaration that her life matters.

Looking Ahead: A Vision for Expansion

One of the challenges our team has identified is the lack of physical space and equipment to meet growing demand. Many students who complete the program do not have consistent access to sewing machines, fabric, or work space. Our long-term vision includes:

        • Constructing dedicated tailoring centers within the camp
        • Supplying sewing machines and essential materials to graduates
        • Transitioning successful alumni into training roles for future cohorts

This approach not only expands our reach but builds a cycle of empowerment, where former students become mentors, and each new generation of learners is taught by someone who understands their struggle firsthand.

Thank You for Investing in Hope

Tailoring is not just a trade.  It is a means of survival, a channel for creativity, and a step toward restored status for refugee women.  As we reflect on 2022, we are filled with gratitude for every person who has invested in this work. Your gifts, prayers, and encouragement have helped us equip women with more than just fabric and thread.  You’ve helped them reclaim agency in a place where so little is in their control.

“Let us not grow weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” — Galatians 6:9

 

Let’s keep sowing.  Let’s keep stitching hope — one garment, one woman, one story at a time.

With gratitude,

The Equipping Hope Team