Sewing for Souls empowers women in Haiti and other underprivileged areas of the world by teaching them valuable skills to provide for their home, for their future and for their faith. In addition, we teach participants how to market the products they make, so they can earn a living with their newfound talents.
We teach women how to sew things from basic household supplies, to advanced items like backpacks and bags
Combining our sewing training with literacy helps women continue learning and contributing to their community.
Our mission is based on the values of the Bible and we spread this good news, so that even in the darkest of times, these communities remain hopeful.
The ministry began at the No Place Like Home orphanage in Port-au-Prince when a group of women from Texas saw a need for marketable skills so that women in Haiti could earn income to help support their families. After graduating a class from a two-year program, the ministry was dissolved. It became apparent that the need was much greater than just teaching sewing skills, as most of the women in the first class were unable to read.
Sewing for Souls was revived in February 2018 with the enrollment of 33 women in a two-year program. This time, our goals include teaching the women to sew, teaching them to read, conducting Bible study groups, and helping the women to market products that they learn to make in order to provide a source of income for their families. Most of the women are mothers, or of childbearing age, and our goal is to help the women to support their children so that they do not feel pressure to give them up for adoption. Doors opened to the new class on April 2, and a team of women from Community Baptist Church of Stuart, Florida and South Chatham Community Church of South Chatham, Massachusetts visited in April to help kick off the activities.
Sewing machines and supplies have been generously donated for the women to use as they learn to sew. Additional funds have purchased a chalk board for the literacy school, Bible study books, and shelving to store the sewing machines when not in use. Our wish list includes additional sturdy tables and comfortable chairs.
Our goal at the end of the two year course of study is to gift each woman who completes the program with a treadle sewing machine so that she may start a home-based sewing business even when there is no electricity.
We also put the items up for sale on our site. After paying for supplies, all profits go back to the women who created the items.