SEWING PROGRAM

The Bonnie Dines Women’s Center is the new hub of Kawaza Village in the Nsefu Sector where our foundation Nsefu Wildlife is based. It is the first building in the future Demian Wallace Nsefu Wildlife Complex.

We have come a long way from our rented brick and mud building that housed the beginnings of our women’s sewing program. We initially had 136 women try out to join our sewing program and we are proud to say we now have an excellent group of women who not only learned a life-changing skill but are a critical part of the community. Housed in the Tommy Raskin Sewing Center...our sewing program helps lift the women of the community and is a major center of activity.

Our women sewers are now involved in the “School Uniform” program where children in the sector order a new uniform for each school year. Every school has a distinctive set of colors and patterns, and our foray into making uniforms not only supports a need in the community, but it also raises funds to support our women’s program and help underwrite other Nsefu Wildlife programs like our Antipoaching Ranger Team.

>>LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR EDUCATION PROGRAM<<

We hope to establish an ongoing training program and this building will give us the space we need. Furthermore, we will have a storefront for our women sewers to sell their products to support themselves and help support Nsefu Wildlife programs. To say this program has been a success is an understatement and we only see bigger things in the future. Textile manufacturing has a long tradition in South Luangwa Valley. The more opportunities we can offer women the better! With Nsefu Wildlife beginning sewing classes in the local village, we are enabling villagers to design, construct, and sell garments and fabric goods to tourists and to the local textile market.

We are striving to make Nsefu Wildlife more self-sufficient, so we are not so dependent on outside donations. Thanks to Gary Dines and his generous donation to our foundation in honor of his late wife Bonnie, we now have a building that will not only house our women's sewing center, but other programs supporting the women of the village.

The future is bright for the women of Nsefu and we are happy to be part of their success!!!