36 GBV survivors acquire tailoring skills

 Foundation for Civic Education and Social Empowerment, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has trained 36 gender-based violence (GBV) survivors in Senior Chief Mbenje in Nsanje in tailoring.

The survivors underwent a five-month training which equipped them with tailoring and designing skills expected to boost their employment or business opportunities.

Speaking on Wednesday during the graduation of the trainees, the organisation’s programme officer Dalitso Kachiwala said they wanted to support the survivors to get a new lease of life.

She said: “The girls and women need holistic support to help them get over the shocks of social abuse.

“We have also linked the survivors to four village savings and loans [VSL] groups established under the project.”

Kachiwala said the organisation supported the VSLs with K1 million and gave them 12 sewing machines as start-up capital for their businesses.

Maria Foley, a beneficiary from group village head Nguluwe, said the skills will enable them start small-scale businesses.

“I will now be able to generate income to support my child,” she said.

In his remarks, group village head Mello thanked the organisation for the initiative.

In a separate interview, Nsanje district gender officer Hope Kahowera said they are making efforts to help GBV survivors to become financially independent.

The organisation is implementing a project under the Spotlight Initiative that seeks to create a GBV free society in Nsanje