Providing marginalized Nicaraguans – particularly single mothers – with vocational training is a key goal of our work. When people can work they feel a greater sense of self-respect and empowerment; they enjoy using their God-given gifts to bless their families and communities.
We have a GREAT opportunity to launch a seamstress apprenticeship program for a beautiful single mother named Aura.
Aura lives in El Canyon, an impoverished community in between Managua and the mountaintop town of El Crucero. Aura provides for her severely disabled 9 year-old daughter Elena. Elena is unable to talk or walk but she is the apple of her mother’s eye. Where most of us would feel overwhelmed and discouraged in the same situation, Aura radiates joy.
Through a NicaWorks! donor we provided Aura with a new sewing machine to replace her broken one last summer; she tailors clothes from wealthier nearby families to earn a little money. In talking with Aura she expressed a desire to learn more sewing skills so that she can expand her work and begin sewing school uniforms as well (which are required for all Nicaraguan schoolchildren).
So here’s the plan!
A friend of ours – Luz Marina – is a very skilled, full-time seamstress. She has offered to mentor Aura as an apprentice. Aura will work for Luz as a helper while she gains skills. Aura will earn approximately $1 per day during her apprenticeship and anything she earns from client work Luz gives her will be extra income.
We expect it will be a minimum of 5-6 month full-time apprenticeship. The cost of running the apprenticeship program for Aura will be $350/month:
- 4500 cordobas or $150 USD/month for full-day childcare for Elena
- 2160 cordobas or $72 USD/month a month for meals during work hours
- 1450 cordobas or $50 USD/month for equipment costs (i.e. machine usage, electricity, materials, etc.)
- 1200 cordobas or $40 USD/month for transportation
- 870 cordobas or $30 USD/month for salary
Luz and Aura are both very excited to start work but we need your help to make it happen!! Will you help us launch our first apprenticeship program and bring new hope to Aura and Elena? We’re all hopeful that this will bless not only Aura and Elena but that we’ll be able to learn from the experience and replicate this vocational training format with other single mothers.
We really need regular monthly donations to ensure we can pay Luz and all of Aura’s expenses. Will you provide Aura with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change her – and her daughter’s – life?
Click here to make your donation.
And call us at 757.753.5352 if you have any questions – we’d love to talk!