Projects Promoting Employment Opportunities

Self-Help Clothing:

Eleven women who are mostly widows and considered the bread earners of their families, receive a small income to support their families through their involvement in performing sewing of all kinds of garments.  The production was distributed to poor families.

Last year, those women, who gain their living in dignity, produced 344 various pieces of clothes about 17% decrease of last year which was mainly due to the unavailability of materials and the absence of the seamstresses due to the situation.  The products included all needed trainees' uniforms and overalls in both men's VTCs, in addition to uniforms made to measurement for NECCCRW medical and paramedical staff.

Unfortunately, we have not again succeeded despite the efforts made to attract orders from merchants and others in order to generate income, but will continue our efforts in this direction.

Income Generating Co-Operatives:

There are two projects at the time being operating under our umbrella after the committee favorably responded to the request of a number of graduates to resume the activity of the knitting co-op.  Both co-operatives operate on self-support basis without budget allocations aiming at assisting a number of graduates from the sewing and knitting centres to appreciate the value of self-help and income generating work, and promote in them the concept of collective work and self-reliance.

Each member gets 80% of the income and the remaining balance of 20% is deducted to cover the running expenses of the administrator, telephone, utilities, rent etc.

Dressmaking Cooperative:

The Sewing Cooperative is an income-generating project for women graduates.  The existence of the Cooperative provides employment as well as advanced practical training to the graduates and trainees of the Dressmaking Centre.  Today, the Sewing Cooperative continues this mission of providing women with viable self- employment in the profession they were trained in.

It accommodates today eleven seamstresses produced 697 pieces with a decline of only 3% from last year in-spite of the harsh situation.  The pieces varied from simple skirts to elaborate wedding gowns.  Clients provide their material, specify a design, and are able to come for their first fitting on appointment depending on the volume of work.  The reputation of the Cooperative and the work done there is demonstrated in the volume of business generated solely through word of mouth over the year.

The eleven seamstresses currently enrolled are all past graduates of the Advanced Dressmaking Centre.  Several have been working at the Cooperative for some years.  All of them are single and the majority bread earners of their families.  Although in the past there have been married women attached to the Cooperative, marriage usually cuts short the external employment either by the woman’s personal choice or that of her husband’s but she could continue working at home.  Eight of the eleven current seamstresses are from refugee families.

The income is based on the number and type of pieces are sewn.  The average monthly net income of each was NIS 605 with a decrease in their income of about 9% attributed to the harsh economic situation which caused decline in the clients' orders.  As single women always live with their families, often, this money is complimentary to the total family income.   For many though, a degree of independence is gained through employment and she is able to save money or use it as she chooses.

It was not possible this year also to move the Co-operative to a more spacious place.

Knitting Co-operative:

Four graduates of the former knitting centre resumed work on self-support basis under our umbrella using the available machines which we have in our custody.  They are accommodated in one of the available rooms within the premises.  They produced 2413 various woolen pieces which provided an average monthly income of NIS 1399 marking high increase by 70% from last year which was mainly due to a special order received to provide knitted pullovers to a campaign organized by local NGOs to distribute woolen garments to needy school children.  They were satisfied to perform something useful and to compliment the income of their families.

Activities to be undertaken next year

The employment activities are ongoing without change.