Many people in Douala have fled violence within Cameroon: the crisis in the English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions and Boko Haram in the north of the country. From fall 2022 to August 2023, together with our partner organization J2DC, we made sewing training possible for many of them, above all women. The goal: an income of their own and better job prospects.
60
women completed the sewing training
38
set up their own businesses as seamstresses
22
began a second year of training
The training
For around ten months, the participants learned the tailoring trade hands-on in two groups: operating and repairing sewing machines, cutting fabric, and sewing clothes for women, men, and children – from traditional to modern designs. Classes were taught in English, at the Atlantic Bilingual University Institute (UNIBETA) in the Bonabéri neighborhood.
The women worked on foot-powered sewing machines. These cost nothing in electricity and keep running during power outages. Among other things, they made skirts, loose tops, kaba dresses, boubous, and handbags.
Who took part
The training was open to internally displaced people and, with at least 20 places set aside for them, to disadvantaged women from Douala itself. The participants were between 16 and 57 years old. Demand exceeded the number of places throughout the project. Some had to drop out, for example because of travel costs, illness, or pregnancy.
More than sewing
Language courses
Free courses, mainly in French, aiming for level A2. A hundred people completed them.
Career guidance
Around 130 young people and adults received advice on their career options – more than the 100 planned.
A room for babies
So that mothers could take part too, a room was set up where their babies could sleep and be looked after. This was not originally planned.
Making soap
A soap-making workshop with expert guidance was also added to the program.
Graduation ceremony with a fashion show
To mark the end of the training, the graduates presented clothes they had sewn themselves in a fashion show. The certificates were handed out by the president of AMK e.V. and the second deputy mayor of the municipality of Douala IV. Each graduate received a foot-powered sewing machine.
What happens next
The English-language tailoring course is to be integrated into existing training centers, with fees kept as low as possible.
Our cooperation with J2DC also continued: it was followed by training in motorcycle mechanics and, most recently, training in small-livestock farming and feed production.
The project was funded through the small projects fund for development cooperation (EZ-Kleinprojektefonds) of the Stiftung Nord-Süd-Brücken (North-South Bridges Foundation) with funds from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
