Sewing for Change: Empowering Kananga's Orthodox Community
Young trainees in Kananga eagerly learn sewing skills, marking the start of their journey towards self-sufficiency and community upliftment (Congo 2024).
In the heart of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Kasaï-Central province, an inspiring initiative is taking root, offering a beacon of hope in a landscape marked by adversity.
The Cutting and Sewing Training Project for Young Orthodox Individuals in Kananga, funded by a $15,000 grant from the Orthodox Christian Mission Center, aims to address the pressing issues of youth unemployment and poverty in an area drastically impacted by environmental and economic hardship.
The project, launched in June with the blessing of His Eminence Chariton, Metropolitan of Kananga, will blend immediate relief efforts with the long-term development of churches and communities in the area. Providing professional training to 32 young women in its initial three-month phase, this initiative will not only equip them with skills in cutting and sewing but offer a pathway to self-sufficiency and entrepreneurship.
A moment captured from the ceremony of His Eminence Chariton blessing the young trainees to celebrate the launch of training center.
Voicing hopes for further expansion into areas such as carpentry, literacy, and IT, local clergy and community leaders expressed enthusiasm for the future of the project and its potential to become a “micro-enterprise” that will uplift the community and create lasting economic sustainability.
“One month since the opening of the cutting and sewing training center, this center has recruited more than 31 mothers and are trained free of charge to add more to their lives, to allow our mothers to support the survival of their homes. We give glory to God that our mothers are adapting and putting more effort into learning,” stated His Eminence Chariton, Metropolitan of Kananga.
Initiatives like these are foundational to the mission and outreach of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center, as they embody our dedication to cultivating vibrant Orthodox communities. By supporting these projects, we can ensure the long-term prosperity and vitality of the Church across the globe.
Watch this video of young trainees learning and practicing new sewing skills as they seek to empower themselves and their community
through the cutting and sewing project. (Video courtesy to our partners in the Archbishopric of Kananga).
Click below to learn how you can support our missionary efforts around the world.
The following photos were provided to OCMC by our partners of the Archbishopric of Kananga highlighting the incredible preparations and launch of the training center. Glory to God!
Many Gifts, One Body, For the Glory of God!
•••