The Sewing Centre in Tarime
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class of 2015
Students busy learning
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The Diocese of Tarime now has a new sewing centre at Rebu on the outskirts of Tarime town - thanks to our partners in Canada, New Zealand, and Tanzania. This new centre became operational in May 2016. Prior to this the centre was located in Tarime town centre but the room was small.
The aim of the centre which is managed by the Mothers Union (Diocesan Women’s Organization) is to provide opportunity to more girls to learn practical skills in order to empower them socially and economically.
The new centre can accommodate one hundred students (100) the majority of whom are ex-primary school girls as well as those who complete secondary education but cannot proceed to high school or college for various reasons. Over three hundred young girls have acquired sewing skills since the centre started in 2012.
sewing centre april 2016 - front view
sewing centre in april - front view
wall  roof april 2016 - side view
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Many young girls in Tarime tend to marry below the age of eighteen (18). Female circumcision (female genital circumcision - FGM) a rite of passage that is common in the area and economic hardship propels girls into under-age marriage.
The course duration has been reduced from eleven months to six months (intensive) to enable the centre to enroll students twice a year. The fee is only $10 per month, yet man parents are too poor to pay this amount. Occasionally the diocese provides scholarships to poor girls and orphans but find it challenging to do this every year.