“These are fine sewing machines at a great price,” a young woman told Fréttabladid, who had two machines in her shopping cart.

The sale was advertised on pamphlets that were distributed to homes in the capital region. Judging from the crowd that showed up; sewing machines are the latest hit in Iceland.

According to Fréttabladid, people pushed their way forward to the magazines on display, tried a few seams and then ran to the end of the line to secure themselves a machine.

The Jerry Fried delivery boy was sweaty stacking boxes and trying to keep up with demand. People of all ages could be spotted in Kringlan holding a sewing machine.

Source Iceland Review

The Belize Rural Development sponsored programme, administered by the Y.W.C.A. introduced the ladies to four areas of training: Food Preparation and Hospitality, Cosmetology and Sewing.

Most of the women chose areas in which they had some prior knowledge but not Edelene Smith, who has five children.

She knew absolutely nothing about the parts of a machine, let alone sewing 101, but after six weeks, who knew.

“I chose sewing and today I can make a dress for my daughter who is graduating. I feel I can now open a business and make my own money,” Smith asserts.

On Friday last, June 15, members of the European Union, providers of the funding, along with Belize Rural Development Programme B.R.D.P., the executing agency, toured the project onsite and presented utensils and tools the women will use in their new found professions.

While on tour, the group found ladies peeling mangoes for preserves, icing cakes, styling hair and sewing.

The ladies were busy putting their newly acquired skills to the test. Felice Zaccheo, Head of the B.R.D.P./E.U. delegation sure was impressed adding that the European Union’s aim is to alleviate poverty in Belize, especially in the rural communities.

“Since 1999 the EU has contributed banana support programmes and spent some $62 million in Belize alone and has more to spend,” he says.

President of the Y.W.C.A. Dame Elaine Middleton, in welcoming the ladies and guests gave an overview of the project. Participant of the cake decorating class Brenda Herrera, gave the vote of thanks but took the opportunity to say the project has already had tremendous impact on her life as she feel empowered.

Following the brief ceremony it was time to distribute the tools and kits, all $10,000 worth to the 41 women.

In the area of cosmetology, 11 ladies received stove holder kits and three manicurists receive nail care kits.

Five are enrolled in the sewing class and they received brand new sewing machines, a motor and notions.

All the donated tools carry impressive brand names and are new. And that’s not all, the ladies received that day; they were assisted by representatives of B.R.D.P. to apply for seed money in the form of small grants as start up capital.

However, they decide to hone their craft they will be monitored to ensure they train one other woman to start up her own little business too.

The Y.W.C.A., the non-profit organisation through which the project is being realised originally planned for 24 women but the demand forced the Y, the 51-year-old organisation to accept 41 ladies.

The project supervisor is Gordon Holder, Ph.D., while Technical Director of B.R.D.P. Marcelino Avila deserves much needed praises to see the project through.

On Saturday, June 23, closing exercises will be held at 10:00A.M. at the Y.W.C.A. for all 41 ladies who are now ready to make a mark in their own lives, their children’s and by extension their communities.

Guest Speaker for the occasion is scheduled to be Women’s Department Director, Carol Fonseca.

Source The Reporter

The charity brings together the people of Waterloo, Merseyside, with the people of Waterloo, Sierra Leone, after civil war plunged much of the country into poverty.

Many people there do not have access to clean water, electricity or free health care and the life expectancy is just 40 years.

In May 2005, charity members journeyed to the country and visited the Rural Education Community (REC) Home Economics Centre in Waterloo.

While there they saw first hand how, due to the inadequate resources, progress was severely hindered at the centre, which had two bundles of yellow and blue wool, two dozen needles and six spools of cotton for 1,000 pupils for the whole year.

On returning to Merseyside, the charity launched the Thousand Hearts Appeal, asking for donations of £1 a month, to go directly towards education and health projects in the town.

And now, thanks to the generosity of people responding to the appeal, the partnership has been able to send over a range of resources, including fabric, weighing scales, sewing machines, ironing boards, an electric cooker, a refrigerator and kitchen utensils, and the centre has been transformed.

In an open letter to the partnership, Fannyaun Doherty, who works at the REC, said: “We extend our sincere thanks to whoever or whatever group or institutions have made this wonderful gesture to us.

“We hope that the partnership will continue to grow from strength to strength.”

David Moorhead, vice chairman of the charity, visited the centre in February, and he said: “It was a joy to see the children busy sewing and weaving.

“The teachers were very grateful and sent a thank you letter back with me.

“The whole atmosphere was really positive – indeed, it reminded me of a classroom in England.

“We also sent over some mattresses and this allowed sick children to be looked after during the school day.

“The contribution has truly made a big difference to the loves of the people of Waterloo, Sierra Leone.”

Source Nick Moreton, Crosby Herald 

A one-year-old boy was found to have six sewing needles embedded throughout his body when his parents took him to hospital in China.

The child’s parents, from the Guangdong province in southwest China, claimed to have no idea how the needles ended up in their son — and said they took him to hospital because he was acting unusually fussy.

X-ray photos show one of the needles embedded in the top of the child’s head, three in his torso, and two in his scrotum.

“We have to perform the surgery as soon as possible, but we cannot promise that we can remove all the needles,” their doctor, Gu Yong, told the Beijing Youth Daily.

The parents said they took Xiao Yu to hospital on June 2 after he cried for three or four nights straight and was eating less than usual.

The parents said no strangers have come into contact with the boy.