Rwanda Rebel Knitters Strike Again!

Two participants of the February 2006 Project Independence Study Tour to Rwanda recently met up again in Kigali, Rwanda. Pam Goodwin, an Art and Design Teacher from SI Coventry in the UK, had promised to run some workshops at the Women for Women International offices in Kigali with the hope of developing some new designs for the women to use in making income-generating products. Jackie Paling, Federation Quadrennial Project Liaison for SIGBI, was to be in Kigali for the second Peace Marathon organized by SI Europe and offered to assist Pam.

Students from the tailoring and machine knitting classes took part in the workshops. Using some of the materials that had been brought over by the Study Tour participants, Pam showed the women different fabric dyeing techniques, basic patchwork, and simple embroidery stitches. The women were able to show off what they had learned by making greetings cards and decorated shoulder bags.

Students from the machine knitting classes were keen to learn hand knitting and Jackie was delegated to do this. Once the women had mastered the basics, they were very keen to get started on some actual garments. All the women were very interested, enthusiastic, and keen to learn.

Scroll down to see pictures of Women for Women International participants learning their new skills!

 

 

Pam Goodwin and Jackie Paling Pose with the Rwanda Rebel Knitters