Two years ago, we started a sewing program as part of our Vocational Training Program at VTP. Since then, it has helped young women feel more confident and motivated to pursue their dreams. We’re happy to share that on January 30, we celebrated the first group of graduates from the program! They received certificates and sewing machines to help them find jobs in local shops or work from home. Those who finished Level 1 also received sewing equipment to keep improving their skills.
Sanaa, 18 years old, is among the girls who completed the sewing program. Two years ago, she chose to take sewing classes because she dreamed of becoming a fashion designer. She explained,
“I believed that learning to sew would bring me closer to my dream, so I enrolled in the classes at VTP. The best part of these classes has been Miss Joyce [the Sewing Trainer at VTP] because she is really kind to us.”
At the celebration, David Castaneda, Director of Community Development, encouraged the ladies to use their skills to benefit their families and communities. Joyce Melki, the Sewing Trainer, and Christa Akkawi, youth worker, reminded the ladies how far they had gone and encouraged them to keep going. Amid the sounds of cheering and applause, each young woman rose to obtain her certificate with a broad smile and, in Taisir’s case, with tears of joy. Later, Taisir, 20, shared,
“I am so happy that I learned to sew and knit at VTP. I feel like I’m in a different world whenever I knit. I have found myself a passion and a means to earn a living.”
Meanwhile, Lubna, who is 17, talked about how she’s loved sewing since she was a kid. She said,
“I really like the teachers at VTP because they are super nice and teach me a lot about life. Miss Christa, especially during the mentoring sessions, has been wonderful.”
Apart from learning job skills, the ladies at VTP also gained important life lessons through the mentoring sessions. Many of them also benefited spiritually from the center’s discipleship program.
We are excited to see what amazing things God will do in and through these ladies in the future. Please pray for His guidance as they move on to apply what they have learned at VTP to earn a living and positively impact their families and communities. Above all, pray for their deepened connection with Christ so they may experience a personal relationship with Him.