A farewell afternoon tea will be held in Altona next month for four women travelling to Uganda to continue developing a women’s refuge and sewing microbusiness that are changing hundreds of lives.
Louis Joel Arts and Community Centre staff and volunteers Jill Bilston, Tricia Salau, and Kim and Georgina Reilly depart Australia on August 4 to continue work on the Bwindi Sewing Project. Ms Salau said the ‘Farewell to the Travellers’ afternoon tea was a way to thank residents for supporting the project over the past three years.
In 2012, the Altona women established the project with members of the Ugandan Ride 4 a Woman (R4W) co-operative, visiting the HIV-ravaged nation to donate sewing machines and train 20 women to sew tourist items.
R4W works to empower women in communities surrounding the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
Last year, the Altona women set about raising $10,000 to build a women’s refuge on ancestral land owned by the head of R4W. The Louis Joel centre is seeking the donation of a data projector to show the African women YouTube videos in craft, English, basic math and sewing techniques. The afternoon tea is on August 3 at 2pm at 5 Sargood Street, Altona. A $5 donation is welcomed.
To RSVP, contact Kim Reilly on 9398 2511 or admin@louisjlcc.com.au.
Goya Dmytryshchak
