Mtunthama Sewing Guild Takes Shape ~ Malawi Day 5

We can begin to taste success!

Though today had it’s frustrations, all in all, it was a happy successful day.

Once again we met with our sewing group and worked on teaching sewing skills. We now have two, and soon to be four women, who can run the machines and put together the MoonCatcher parts. The machines broke down fairly often and we had to, once again, call the machine genius, Anthony, to come rescue us.

Ellie helps the tailors keep their lines straight

Sometime in the afternoon Brian visited us and then Sanjay. Brian is the head of Bridges to Malawi and Sanjay is the infectious disease expert also part of Brian’s group. Both of these doctors were incredibly interested in seeing what we were doing and asked lots of questions. Brian took lots of pictures as well. He really liked that we recycle tyvek envelopes for a water barrier in the pad and use pvc and chopsticks for our turners.

It’s just the kind of thing he does…use what’s on hand to make something work.

Dorothy cutting flower patterned carriers

Our head fabric cutter, Dorothy cut a stack of carriers today and taught several other women to carefully do the same.

We are beginning to think that this woman is the leader that we have been looking for. We’ve started to talk about this possibility with her.

At the close of the day we went to Dorothy’s house to help her thread her sewing machine which she said she’d had for 8 months but hadn’t used yet. We did basic things like winding a bobbin, threading the machine, and showing her how to use reverse. We then sat and had tea with her while visiting with her 2 children Michael and Gloria and adorable Granddaughter Bella.

We may pull this off yet! It was good to see some completed parts today.