TFS works in Tanzania in partnership with a local governmental organisation called SIDO (Small Industries Development Organisation). In 2022 the SIDO office in the Iringa Region of Tanzania expressed the wish of having a centre similar to the one TFS had opened 2 years before in the neighbouring Njombe Region. This was the starting point of the Iringa Artisan Support and Training Centre (IASTC), officially inaugurated at the beginning of May 2023 during TFS last field trip.
Aim of the Project
The focus of the newly established centre is to supply tools, sewing machines and machinery to artisans, providing also technical and sewing training and back up service supports. The specific targets are:
- To allocate 134 sewing machines, of whom approximatively 100 will go to individual tailors (75 to women) and the rest to Vocational Training Centres or NGOs.
- To sell 3 industrial machines, 1 domestic overlock, 3 computerized sewing machines and 6 knitting machines.
- To sell 2720 hand tools, 44 electrical tools/items, 4 pieces of machinery.
How does IASTC operate?
The centre employs 2 local people: Catherine the workshop coordinator and Mohamed the workshop mechanic. They were trained by TFS and personnel from the Mwanza centre in sewing machines and tools refurbishment. Their work involves fixing and checking tools and sewing machines, promoting the centre in the districts within the Iringa Region, organising training for tailors in dress design, embroidery, business skills and sewing machine maintenance & operation. The first training took place in August 2023. Gathering 20 tailors from the Iringa and Mufindi towns, it was a good start for IASTC and its staff.
Here you can see a video made on the occasion of the first training:
Hence, if you’re interested in the idea of The Tool Centre Project or in need of further clarifications and additional information,
please get in contact with us.