Rosine and France

“I always wanted to study, but I didn’t have the means. As a single mother of three with no husband, my priorities took a back seat. I was most concerned with putting food on the table. When I expressed my hopes and needs to my case manager, she told me that there might be a way for RefugePoint to assist me. That gave me hope. After a long time, I finally had some hope.

I’ve always had a passion for fashion and design, and when I was asked what I would like to study,  tailoring was the first thing that came to mind. Mr. Kimani (Education Officer) asked me to identify someone in my neighborhood with a good tailoring business who might be willing to train me. I was already friends with France, and when I asked her, she was more than willing to take me on as her student,” Rosine told us.

Rosine is part of RefugePoint’s Apprenticeship and Vocational Skills Program. Her tutor, France, received a small business grant from RefugePoint, which allowed her to establish a tailoring business with three sewing machines.

Rosine has already completed clothing repairs for a few customers and is gaining more and more confidence in her skills. She hopes that after completing her training, she can open her own business.

In addition to training Rosine, France also trains other refugees referred to her by different agencies. “I take pride in running my own business and being able to support and train others. I know this work is good, and when you do it, you always have enough to cover rent and food. As a tailor, you can manage to take care of yourself, and that is my hope for everyone I train.”

“May RefugePoint empower more people so that those people can empower others,” France told us.