The official kick-off for our project in Senegal took place at the beginning of May – and of course we were there with our people from Benin to provide the Senegalese trainers with help and advice.
It was great to see how everyone pitched in. In just a few weeks, the two-storey warehouse in the centre of the city was transformed into a professional workshop in which 50 women and men can immediately pursue their work as seamstresses and sewers. There are also ten trainees and five employees.
At the start, the plan is primarily to “improve sewing” and “learn French”.
Some tailors only speak and understand Wolof.
In order to support the people in the best possible way and bring them up to a standardised level, we have divided them into three groups according to their skills and assigned them responsibilities. As in Benin, our curriculum includes not only materials science, cutting, sewing and ironing, but also learning French, the official language of Senegal and Benin. We believe that a common language base is essential in order to learn from each other and grow together. To build trust and promote collegiality.
We have hired a teacher for the lessons and set up an extra room. It is located right next to our small “kindergarten”, where the babies of our seamstresses are professionally supervised. The mothers immediately accepted the unusual offer – not only one woman has had the experience of being dismissed by her employer shortly before the birth of her child. For young families in particular, this is often a drama – a salary is rarely enough to afford life in the city.
Equal treatment of women and men is also a matter of course for us. In this respect, there are no “typical women’s jobs” or “typical men’s jobs” in our studio; everyone is an equal member of the same team. This breaking up of customary behaviour and traditions requires sensitivity – but we believe it is essential for the success of our project.
Most of our trainers and tailors belong to the Muslim brotherhood of the Murids – one of the largest and most influential religious communities in the country.
Outside Rahmée with five tailors and Petra Kutschal …
… indoors, working together on a first practice piece.