{"id":53947,"date":"2022-08-10T10:38:16","date_gmt":"2022-08-10T08:38:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/sewing-for-sarepta-out-of-the-blocks-20220809-2\/"},"modified":"2025-03-19T20:22:39","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T18:22:39","slug":"sewing-for-sarepta-out-of-the-blocks-20220809-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/sewing-for-sarepta-out-of-the-blocks-20220809-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Sewing for Sarepta out of the blocks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Sewing for Sarepta project of non-profit organisation, Helping on purpose to empower (HOPE) in partnership with the Sarepta Senior Secondary School is officially out of the blocks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nine Grade 10 and 11 learners from the school attended the first lesson presented by Wilhelmina Rhode in a classroom made available by the school on Saturday 6 August from 09:00 to 12:00.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a start HOPE partnered with the school to use the premises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learners of the school are the first to benefit. Wayne Rhode, co-founder of HOPE, says \u201cthe classes will be extended to the community once we successfully rolled out this class\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In July TygerBurger<\/em> reported on HOPE\u2019s Mandela Day aim to collect 18 sewing machines for this project that is about reviving some crucial skills and offered free of charge to participants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Rhodes say they are thankful for receiving a donation of 10 sewing machines from the United Reform Church (VGK) in Eerste River as well as four machines from community members. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project will run for six weeks with classes every second Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HOPE covers all costs and provides a meal to class participants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All welcome<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Although the first participants are all girls, Rhode says it does not necessarily have to be \u2013 men would be welcome too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She says longer term aims for HOPE include their own premises and extending skills training such as woodwork, electrical, welding and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201dWe would like to expand.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HOPE was founded in 2006 and mainly distributes food donations, to a database of organisations \u2013 \u201cat least 18 in areas such as Kalkfontein, Kleinvlei, Happy Valley, Ravensmead and Parow\u2019\u2019, says Wilhelmina. They\u2019ve been distributing donations from Pick n Pay and the Lions Club Brackenfell from 2006, and more recently also from SA Harvest and Ladles of Love. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sewing project is \u201ca new baby\u201d. \u201cWe don\u2019t just want to hand out, but teach people how to fish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat is what our name, Helping on purpose to empower, is all about,\u201d Wilhelmina says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She explains that\u2019s also why they\u2019ve added some structure to the sewing class \u2013 Wayne will start off with a 15-minute motivational talk, and HOPE\u2019s vice-chair, John Pearce, will end off with another short \u201ctake home\u201d message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the first lesson the focus was getting used to handling a needle, doing some basic stitches to put in a seam, or attach a button. \u201cIn our next class we will start using the machines.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the end of the course the hope is that the learners will be able to make their own outfit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wilhelmina says the worsening unemployment level post pandemic is part of the reason why they would like to expand the sewing classes to the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have a sewing machine that\u2019s collecting dust it would be welcomed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n