Sewing School in Mexico

Providing new skills from which to generate an income

The LATA Foundation has purchased 12 sewing machines to set up a new sewing school in Puerto Vallarta. The school opened in April 2011.

Versión en Espaňol: Taller de Costura Mexico

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sewing machines are owned by local NGO New Life Mexico and are loaned to the school. The local authorities are providing the building and a teacher, Maria  Magdalena Barragan, who has 16 years experience and who also runs courses in cooking, hairdressing and beauty treatments.

Maria Magdalena Barragan tells us that the 12 sewing machines have had a huge impact and have enabled more people to participate in the courses/classes.

The sewing school currently has 3 groups; 21 students on Mondays and Tuesdays from 9am to 1pm; 19 students on Wednesdays and Thursdays 9am-1pm and a group of 16 students on Mondays and Wednesdays 4pm – 7pm.  The students – men as well as women –are being trained with new skills from the basics to advanced sewing and embroidery techniques from which they can then generate an income.

LATA Foundation Case Study: Maria del Carmen's story

Maria del Carmen lives with her husband in a rented house. 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 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 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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Life Mexico has a good track record in Puerto Vallarta. Since 2010 they have constructed 15 water fountains to provide clean drinking water houses to people living on the margins. They also provide practical hygiene and health education programmes, support for street children and drug rehabilitation projects.

This project cost just £1,650. We are  grateful to the Rotary Club of Sherborne Castles, to residents of Crockham Hill and to Bradt Travel Guides for their donations towards this project.

We are particularly grateful to Isabelle Mazille of Journey Latin America for putting us in touch with New Life Mexico and for being such a superb advocate of their work. It is a great example of the travel industry helping the LATA Foundation to identify, publicise and support good projects.

Contributions:

If you would like to make a donation or set up a monthly direct debit to support our work, please click onto our Donations pages or go to www.justgiving.com/lata.  

Date project approved: 09 December 2010