Case study - FASHION LAB
Catherine’s New Found Confidence
Figure 1. Catherine Mkuze under her tailoring shelter
“It took close to two months to help Catherine’s self-esteem grow. I think one of the things that helped her was, being able to interact with fellow trainees. She was challenged every day. She needed to reach the standard which Mayamiko had set for its tailoring trainee.”
Figure 2. Blouse sewn by her mum: Catherine’s daughter Miracle
Catherine was part of the 2018 cohort, where she was one of the youngest in the group at 26 years old. Since secondary education, she had stayed at home due to a lack of alternative options and resources to continue studying. Raised by a single parent, her mum works as a house helper in a low-density area. Under labour laws in Malawi, the minimum wage for housemaids is MK35,000 a month($42), leaving a lot to be desired! With an individual needing at least a dollar a day to survive in Malawi, this monthly wage is barely enough to cover a week for the average household of 6 people, and it wasn't enough to sustain Catherine's home where her mother's wage was needed to nurture two children and one grandchild.
The grandchild, Catherine's daughter, is now 6 years old. When she became pregnant, the boyfriend did not accept full responsibility, only contributing occasionally to the child's upbringing. Therefore, she had been aware of the need to generate income that could contribute to her household for some time.
When Catherine heard of an opportunity to learn tailoring and design with the Mayamiko Trust, she did not hesitate to register with the trainer Ms. Towera and was successful in her interview. However, the trainer noted that Catherine needed some extra technical and mental support to help build her self-confidence. Conviction is integral to tailoring: you have to be sure of what you're cutting and stitching from the point of design; customers need to be assured that you can deliver on the pattern they desire.
Three months after graduating from training, as expected, she needed to start her own business. She was eager not to join the trainees who get their machine at graduation and stop practising the trade they had worked hard to gain. She saw others selling their sewing machines and using the money aimlessly.
Luckily for Catherine, her mother rented a house across from a busy road. With the confidence developed during her time at the Fashion Lab, she approached her mother's landlord, asking for permission to use an empty space outside and erect a temporary shelter. Permission and granted, and she created a space to house her new tailoring business.
Numerous people within the neighbourhood have now taken advantage of her skills, arriving with various wraps to be sewn into dresses, traditional wears, skirts and shirts, and some come to just have pieces mended. She has also received significant orders to tailor several dresses for groups of 'dancing queens' that perform at engagement ceremonies or bridal showers. Her highest paying order recorded was MK18,000 for sewing one piece of clothing - a special engagement ceremony piece. For repairs, she can charge as little MK300, depending on the work. The economic instability caused by COVID-19 means that her monthly income is unpredictable, but these days it is rarely under MK50,000.
Today Catherine, who used to be dependant onsupport from the father of her child. Catherine is able to provide for her daughter. When business is low, and she can't afford clothes, she can also sew them herself — that's her skill after all!
With her confidence, Catherine's ambition has also grown. Her desire is to keep on improving her skills, gain a good reputation and get many more customers - so that her income can also grow! She wants to live a good life where she can reliably support her family. Catherine is an excellent example of how skills development can also build self-esteem, and the opportunity to acquire tailoring and design skills with the Mayamiko Trust did just that!