The thriving tailoring training program at Dzaleka Refugee Camp held its annual graduation ceremony this past week. Out of twenty-seven students enrolled in the twelve-month program, twenty students passed all of their training exams and earned certificates.
On graduation day, friends and family gathered to celebrate and encourage the students who had worked hard, learned much, and earned the honors awarded on this day. Ancient Path Dzaleka Director, Shabani Kabonga, was blessed and grateful when the students surprised him with a beautiful shirt created just for him. Several Ancient Path leaders from Kaliyeka Township also traveled to the camp to be part of this exciting event and encourage Shabani, his staff, and students.
It’s hard to fully express the impact this vocational training program has on the lives of the people living at Dzaleka Camp. We’ll let them speak for themselves:
I had the dream of getting the skill of sewing for a long time because I believed it would make me productive economically. Now I can rely on myself because of this skill that I have.- Furaha Mlasi Sakina
I had the desire to have the tailoring skill for a long time, but I could not learn due to the lack of financial means as many training centers are not for free. But after I heard that Ancient Path is offering the tailoring program for free, I was able to register and join the class. I have gained the skill that I was looking for for a long time, and I am willing to increase more on it. As we have been trained under Ancient Path, I would like to ask for their care and love. AP has to carry on and not stop because we have graduated. – Bunana Rubamba Bijoux
When I was a new arrival, I was very afraid of living here in Dzaleka Refugee Camp, I did not know any work, but I was fetching water and making bricks as my business. When I heard that at Ancient Path Vocational Training Center, they teach people sewing or tailoring, I started to look for the place where the center is, then enrolled directly and started to learn. By the grace of God, I successfully passed and graduated, and I received my certificate on 10th April 2021. Now I am very grateful to Ancient Path for teaching me a skill that will help me in my future life. May God bless Shabani and Ancient Path because I could not know how to sew without them. But now I am a very good tailor. This is a very important work in my life! – Amani Halal Shukuru
While this program consists of practical skills training that benefits the students and their families, it is also a place for healing, community, and spiritual care. All of the students in our vocational training and arts training programs at Dzaleka Camp come carrying pain, loss, and trauma with horrifying stories to tell of their refugee journeys. They often share their stories with us and permit us to share them with you – which you can read here. Please pray for them!
As the students have written, there is no personal cost for their training, but obviously, we pay instructors, rent a building, and provide sewing machines and materials. We are grateful for your financial support that makes this program possible. As always, we make every dollar count, and a donation in any amount will help us continue and expand this work. We can’t do it without you!
We do need more sewing machines, by the way! If you would like to donate the cost of a sewing machine, which is $140, the students enrolling in the next session will be so grateful! (You can donate online and simply type Dzaleka with your instructions in the memo line.) The second-year students are also asking and praying for an embroidery sewing machine that would allow them to create the beautifully embroidered traditional Congolese clothing. They’re starting to dream big!
Director Shabani writes: This is a very serious training center! This time we had more students than last year, and still, many students have been on a waiting list since we started this program. Ancient Path has purchased six sewing machines so far, and God has provided two more qualified trainers in tailoring, so I can see this work is growing. Some already have a testimony about the significant changes God has brought to their lives through this training opportunity – both economically and spiritually. We are touching many people.
We pray that God will continue to move in the lives of these new graduates, and in the lives of the new students who are already lining up!
