SIGBI, SI St Vincent and the Grenadines and SI San Fernando (Caribbean) – Sewing and Crafting

SI Club St. Vincent partnered with the Barrouallie Technical Institute and SI Club San Fernando to launch a sewing project geared towards women on the Leeward side of the Island who were affected by the volcanic eruption in 2021.

SI Club St.Vincent supplied the Barrouallie Technical Institute with 10 sewing machines that were provided by SI Club San Fernando. They also supplied fabric and $10,000EC dollars to the Institute. This monetary donation was to assist women with financial constraints who weren’t able to pay the registration fee, purchase files and materials for their portfolio, and also aid with transportation costs as many students dropped out due to lack of funds to travel to school.

There were seven female graduates receiving full Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) Garment Production Certificates for the year 2023, while one student received a unit award. The most outstanding student of the garment production course currently has her own sewing shop and is writing a sewing book.

In September 2023, a new cohort of six students started, with Clubs also incorporating the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) programme. This initiative now includes 13 secondary school students, maximising the use of the sewing machines.