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Kent-based Medway Volunteer Workshop refurbish unwanted hand and powered tools and sewing machines on behalf of Tools with a Mission, who then send these to Africa to equip newly-trained craftspeople and dressmakers, so they can earn a living.
MVW, and other TWAM refurbishment centres, are getting through the unwanted sewing machines we have on hand, SO WE WILL SOON NEED MORE DONATED to allow us to continue with this worthwhile work (MVW aim to refurbish around 500 each year).
If you, or anyone you know, has a manual or electric sewing machine (with foot pedal please) you or they no longer need then a local TWAM collector can pick it up and we can put it to a really good use: www.twam.uk/findcollector or email mvw781@gmail.com
Making a practical donation of an unwanted sewing machine can change the life of someone less fortunate.
Here’s a little story from the TWAM website which demonstrates how.
 Hello, I’m Harriet. I’m from Uganda and this is my story...
My family are subsistence farmers (that means they have a small plot of land, no bigger than the average back garden where they grow all the vegetables to feed themselves and hopefully a little more to sell to buy meat) and I did not want to do that. It is very hard and crops are not reliable so there is no opportunity to earn money, so little hope the children could ever go to school. I could only go to a bad school and had to leave that during primary.
I was desperate and became pregnant to a young man who had no prospects and would not marry me. Since then, I have always been alone. I did not want this life for my kids.
So, when I heard about the charity, Mindset Development in Entebbe and that they trained women and girls in tailoring for free, I applied to join. I completed my course in 2016 and won the Graduation Day talent show for the best designed and made dress. TWAM gave me a sewing machine and I started to work on a neighbour’s verandah.
After 2 years, I had saved enough to rent my shop. My life has been changed completely. Now my two boys (aged 14 and 11) are in a good school and both are top of their classes. I am so proud and so pleased I could give them the opportunity I never had.
Just a little reminder: Medway Volunteer Workshop is self-funded, so donations, scrap metal (which we sell) and volunteers are always welcome.
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