Inch Training

Sewing machines arrive

As our students reach the later parts of the education we provide, we need to think about how they will make their way in the world. This is especially important for young women reaching the end of their education. Some will have few or no family contacts to help their transition in the outside world where they will suddenly need to make a living.

Obviously, to have mastered a skill will be a huge advantage. Both marketable and from a self confidence point of view. Sewing machines provided by INCH allow the older girls to learn a marketable skill.

sewing class

In a nation where tailors’ shops are still a common sight, there will always be openings for skilled tailors.

Here we see our young women crowded into a sewing class in Kolkata.

young woman with a new sewing machine

disabled girl making garments

One of the bonuses of having such a large number of tailors is that anyone can have their favourite garment replicated in the fabric of their choice. This looks like what is happening here.

Without her tailoring skill, this young woman’s employment options would be very limited. Actually difficult to imagine.

mask making

Part of a recent email from one of our partner organisations in Bengal to us here in UK:

Hope you all are well and safe. We are well here. We have distributed mask (made by our tailoring women) and detol soap among the villagers. The tailoring women were very happy as they have distributed the mask with their own hands.

Already the women have learnt to make a few Ladies garments and they are becoming Confident of their own earning. I think it is a Great achievement for all of us.

Thank you very much.

With the best regards.

Mohit.

Sewing Tuition and Machines

We continue to support the Tailoring tuition for young women. Having funded the building and furnishing of a dedicated workshop for Tailoring, the project is awaiting certification but the Government - once this is agreed, we will fund a sewing machine to each woman who successfully completes the Tailoring tuition and receives their certificate, enabling women to work from home. We have recently agreed to continue financing the sewing tutor for a further 2 years, due to importance of this training during Covid lockdowns and increased unemployment in West Bengal.

Electrical Training

We continue to support the scheme to train young men as electricians and furnish a starter kit to all who successfully complete the course and obtain Govt. certificates.