SewAid Fiji- Full report and more photos
Sewaid Fiji August 13th – 28th 205
Venue: Koroipita Model Homes Village – Lautoka- Fiji
This village is a model homes village of 221 Rota Homes established and organised by Rotarian Peter Drysdale. The project was originally a Rotary project involving many Australian and overseas Rotary clubs. Now, most of the funding comes from New Zealand Aid, and after working on this model village and others previously for over 25 years as a volunteer, Peter is now employed by New Zealand Aid but still works 24/7 on the project.  Many Rotarians involved with this project visit regularly, and while we were there, there were several Rotarians from Australia visiting, including PDG Lou Pretorius from Launceston, who was making his 21st visit to the project. He is a director on the Koroipita Board.
The village takes in destitute people and families and rebuilds their lives- and from what we observed- very successfully. The 221 Rota homes are stages 1 and 2, and they are about to commence stage 3, which will be about another 27 Rota homes and eventually, the village will have a population of around 1,200 people. They are planning a sports ground and a commercial building for businesses in this stage three.
We ran the Sewaid training in the village hall which was an excellent facility with plenty of room and everything we needed. Susan Nadu who is the main organiser was so helpful as was Vika the young lady who is the events manager for the hall.
Equipment, preparation etc
We shipped over by airfreight, 14 new Singer 8 stitch automatic sewing machine, 4 second hand overlockers – which were serviced and checked before sending, and then a lot of sewing accessories, and fabric, elastic, thread, etc.
We were very grateful to Rohlig Australia who paid all the airfreight and landing costs for us. Many thanks to Rohlig Australia. Many thanks too, to our sewing machine mechanic Mario who prepared the four second hand overlockers for us.
All this equipment we donated and left with them for ongoing use after the training program. Everything went very well the Singer sewing machines were bullet proof and just ideal for the project and the overlockers held up well. Peter said he would make special lockers for the storage of the machines.
Our Team and the Set Up.
Our Sewaid team was: Glenda Bones- Head Teacher, ( her third Sewaid project ; Sharon Tunks – senior sewing and craft consultant , her second Sewaid project; , Judy Jones – senior dressmaker her 3rd Sewaid project ; Sheila McDowall sewing teacher her 2nd Sewaid project;, Julie Walsh Craft teacher her 2nd Sewaid project ; Sandra and I as Managers and equipment organisers. Alacoque Welsh from the Rotary E-club of Greater Sydney joined us form some of the time. .
We flew into Nadi on Thursday August 13th and was met by Peter Drysdale and Allan?? who took us to our hotels in Lautoka. All the team stayed at the Northern Club Apartments but because they were fully booked Sandra and I stayed at the Tanoa Waterfront Hotel where we all had dinner together on the first night. Â Allan is a PDG from 9870 in Victoria but now living in Fiji.
Friday morning I picked up the rental car and after some shopping we went out to the Koroipita Village and spent the rest of the day unpacking the equipment setting up the machines etc.
Saturday morning the ladies went fabric shopping and then took the fabric out to Koroipita and prepared it all ready for Monday morning. Some of the local ladies who had been chosen for the training came up to the hall to meet us.
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The Training Program Monday 17th to Friday 28th August
Monday morning the training began, The 25 trainees who were women from the village of varies ages ranging from 21 to ??? were divided into 5 groups of 5 with a teacher each. Julie took most of the ones who had never sewed and taught them mainly Craft while the other concentrated on dressmaking and, in particular, how to use commercial patterns.
The first project that everyone made was a Days for Girls bag, which all finished that day. After that they made a skirt, a shirt, a dress, some hats, and some much larger bags etc.
The progress was amazing and much faster than any Sewaid we had run previously. This was due to a number of things: incredibly enthusiastic students who really put their heads down, a very good venue, with plenty of good tables and room, all the students spoke English, and the fact that we supplied new sewing machines this time- really made a difference as it was so much easier to teach them how to use the machines.
On the final Friday, they had the usual party and modelling of their clothes, which was such a great day.
On-going Program.
With the help of Peter Drysdale, his staff and Alacoque from our E-club, we were able to set up the whole ongoing business plan. Â The supply chain was not difficult, and Alacoque kindly found a fabric wholesaler for them. Additionally, potential sales outlets were contacted with good success. In fact, some of the clothes made were successfully sold even during the program; the Koropipita organisation will run the business, and the ladies we trained will be employed, and they will be able to earn much more than they could elsewhere. For example, one lady gave up her job at a jeans factory so that she could take the Sewaid course. She was earning FJ$1.10 an hour at the factory ((A$0.70) and now she should be able to earn much more than that, and not have to leave the village.
This is the most successful SewAid we have ever had and the first time we have been able to leave the project with an operational business plan in place.
Our five volunteer Seward teachers were, as usual, absolutely fantastic. They worked every day non-stop.  In just two weeks they took ladies who had never sewed to a point where these ladies could make professionally finished garments!! Amazing!!
What we do like about our Sewaid program is that it gives the people a hand-up, not a hand-out and these ladies who have absolutely nothing can now make an income for themselves and their families, and ultimately that income will spread around the whole village.
Many thanks to our teachers, to Peter, Sue, and Vika from the Koroipita Model Towns, to Alacoque, and to all our many other supporters. I will finish with just two emails my teachers sent to me, as I couldn’t stay for the final few days.