Children from Kailahun showing what they've made

In Sierra Leone, Plan has given children the opportunity to learn meaningful skills by training them in tailoring and weaving.

School children in the Plan programme units see their new skills not only as academic – they have to sit exams in school testing their ability – but also as a means of sustenance.

One girl, aged 13, who benefited from the project in Kailahun, explained how she comes from a relatively poor family, how her parents are both unemployed, and how sometimes they can’t even afford to eat.

But now, she says, thanks to equipment – such as sewing machines and woven materials – and training on how to design and tailor items all provided by Plan, some of the children have been able to pay their school fees themselves and help out their parents.

This is because people have been attracted to what they have made during exhibitions, and some of their work has been marketed.

Weaving in progress

The girl from Kailahun explained: “With my earnings from sales, I later joined Plan’s village savings and loan scheme, where I requested a small loan to purchase some sewing and woven materials that I later transform into decorative household items or dresses for children.

"I do this during the school holidays, because then I have more time to concentrate on it and get resources to prepare for the next academic year, such as my school uniform and footwear.

"Making a visit to our community markets and beaches around the country, there is a section dedicated to the sale of these arts, crafts and African wear. When foreign visitors arrive, it’s only at these locations where they can buy such items.

"When the Day of the African child is celebrated on 16th June each year, primary school children country-wide all wear Africana to go to school, and those that have gone through the tailoring skills training provided by Plan have the opportunity to generate some income during the period."

The end product

Even parents believe that the skills that their children have acquired with the immense input from Plan Sierra Leone have been of tremendous help to them. Some now even sell their products at the bigger market centres, giving them greater financial security for the future.