Mexico Sewing School

The sewing school is proving very popular and is dramatically improving people's lives. Please read Maria del Carmen's story here.

LATA Foundation Case Study: Maria del Carmen's story

Maria del Carmen lives with her husband in a rented house in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Her husband works collecting cans and other aluminium items for recycling – he is paid 17 pesos a kilo (£0.94 approximately).

Maria del Carmen has been on the course at the sewing school for 3 months. She has already learnt how to make household items such as napkins, covers for toasters and liquidizers and table cloths which she sells in the markets.  She has been particularly successful in the tourist markets and can take home 300 pesos a day (£16.00) which is making a very big difference to their income. 

Maria del Carmen        Photo: New Life Mexico

Maria del Carmen is currently saving up for a sewing machine as she does not own one.  At the moment she borrows one from a friend and she sometimes stays on after class to complete the pieces she is making.  She tells us that she feels really happy and would like to open a shop with some of her classmates.

The LATA Foundation  purchased 12 sewing machines at a cost of just £1650 to set up a new sewing school in Puerto Vallarta. The school opened in April 2011.

We are grateful to the Mexico Tourism Board, the residents of Crockham Hill, Chimu Adventures, Bradt Travel Guides and the Rotary Club of Sherborne Castles who provided the funds for this project and to construct a water fountain in Mexico which is being used by 500 people every day.

Contributions:

The LATA Foundation is now helping thousands of people throughout Latin America. None of our work would be possible without the financial assistance of our sponsors and individual donors. We are enormously grateful to them for their support.

If you would like to make a contribution or a monthly donation towards our projects it is easy to do so via the link on our website or through www.justgiving.com/lata.

Date added: 03 December 2011