Lucy Wairimu Kimaru
“The Enkiteng sewing program has helped me so much already – I was able to rent a farm using savings I got from the program, and now I am able to farm. I also want to make sure that my daughter gets good education.”
~ Lucy Wairimu Kimaru
Lucy Wairimu Kimaru is one of the seamstresses in our Enkiteng Program in Nyeri. She joined the sewing program in summer 2015 and started learning how to sew by making Enkiteng bags (cloth gift wrapping bags) using donated fabric. She has now graduated to making the Enkiteng bags out of Kitenge fabric, as well as new products such as Kitenge knapsacks, shopping bags, wrap-skirts and other products made of Kitenge.
She lives in Nyeri, Kenya, with her husband and their daughter. Although she has been lucky enough to have her family encourage her to finish high school, she has found that she still has not had the same job opportunities as men in her community, and was never inspired to grow herself or her skill-set.
In addition to sewing in the Enkiteng Program, Lucy is renting a small farm, where she grows vegetables for her family and for sale on a market. She hopes to save enough money through hard work and the Seeds to Sew program to open up a baking business in Nyeri.
When asked what she would like to change about her community, she says she does not like the insecurity and that the unemployment is so high.
“I am very happy for the Enkiteng Program. Since I have joined in 2015 I have been able to improve my sewing skills. I started with learning how to sew Enkiteng bags and by now I can sew skirts, aprons, face masks and I am very happy for that.
Through the program, I get money which helps me buy food for my children. I started the program with one daughter now I have two girls.
The Enkiteng program has helped me and my family very much. Through the monthly sewing I get money which I personally save, with an aim of getting enough to start a baking business which have been my hope through years and through Seed to Sew program I know one day I will achieve it.
Thank you so much Seed to Sew program you have really helped me improved my life.”
