The At -Tareegatul Quadiriyah Sunni Association (AQSA) has given sewing machines to120 women in Zomba after providing them with designing and tailoring skills as part women’s economic empowerment.
Speaking during the handover ceremony at Songani in Zomba, Member of Parliament for Zomba Malosa, Grace Kwelepeta, hailed the AQSA for teaching the 120 women tailoring skills on top of providing them with sewing machines.
The parliamentarian therefore appealed to the beneficiaries to use the machine for the intended purpose so that the newly acquired knowledge and skills should help them to generate income to improve living standards in their respective homes.
She expressed hope that the tailoring knowledge and skills plus the machines will economically empower the women to provide for their basic needs thereby reducing gender based violence which most women suffer due to their total dependence on spouses.
To improve income generation at household level, Kwelepeta said she will try to link the women to schools so that they should be allowed to make school uniforms and sanitary pads for female learners and students.
She then advised the women never to allow their husbands or other people to entice them to sell the sewing machines.
Kwelepeta also told the women that they should not become rebellious to their husbands following the skills in tailoring and acquisition of the sewing machines.
“Don’t be rebellious to your husband or underrate them in any way feeling that you’re now economically empowered enough to stand on your own,” the parliamentarian advised the women.
AQSA District Coordinator for Zomba, Sheikh, Abdul Lazak Liwonde, said the organisation decided to teach the women tailoring skills and give them sewing machines after observing that the women were struggling to make ends meet at household levels.
He therefore expressed hope that the women will improve income generation at household level following knowledge and skills in tailoring anticipating that the women will be able to provide basic needs to their families.
“Im sure your families will change for the better and l hope the training and the sewing machines will encourage you to venture you into business that will improve your income,” Sheikh Abdul Liwonde added.
One of the women that received the sewing machines, Abiti Asani hailed AQSA for giving them the sewing machines saying the skills in tailoring has empowered them to venture into vibrant tailoring that will also transform their living standards for the better.
She also advised fellow women to avoid underrating their spouses saying the women empowerment should rather bind their families towards economic prosperity.
AQSA which started its operation in 2001 is comprised of Indian origin business people based in Limbe
