Sewing Project- Nigeria

September 26, 2020
mmchunt

Sewing Project- Nigeria

How We Work

Problem

In conversations with Ripples staff when piloting the Ripples Farm initiative, village women expressed their concerns over the struggles of providing enough food for their families and feeding their communities without viable and consistent income. More than 82 million Nigerians live on less than $1 per day, and over 40% of Nigerians live below the poverty line.⁸ To further demonstrate matters of gender inequality in Nigeria, twice as many women as men are currently living below the poverty line.⁹ Legal, cultural, and political ceilings have severely limited Nigerian women’s potential in the labor market, with very few opportunities for women to lift themselves out of the poverty cycle. Thus, the economic needs of women in remote Nigerian communities are palpable, and must be addressed in order to protect the futures of children and communities.

⁸ Forty percent of Nigerians live below the poverty line: Report
⁹ Gender Roles and Inequalities in the Nigerian Labour Market

Solution

The Ripples Women’s Enterprise in Nigeria works with local women to develop a sustainable sewing and fashion design business. Women are provided with the sewing materials necessary to produce a variety of unique and marketable items, such as skirts and dresses, with locally-sourced fabrics. Ripples also teaches women how to sew, package, and source materials through a series of courses taught by Ripples staff. The products created by Ripples women are then introduced for sale in international markets using Fair Trade Certification, which guarantees that consumers have access to high-quality products around the globe and remote economies have access to the opportunities of the free market. Global consumers can experience the craftsmanship of the African village woman, and Ripples women can promote the futures of themselves, their families, and local communities.

Ripples USA | Empowering African Women | Home

Impact

One branch of the Ripples USA Women’s Enterprise is in Nigeria, introduced in 2011. Approximately 200 women have worked in conjunction with Ripples staff to establish a sewing and fashion design business that is both profitable and sustainable. By learning basic sewing skills, women in remote villages have enhanced their entrepreneurial skills, and have gained the necessary components to fight gender inequality and systemic poverty. Additionally, participants working with the Women’s Enterprise businesses have unlocked the financial security necessary to feed and provide education and healthcare for their children, as well as to invest in and revitalize local economies- ensuring their communities are supported against future challenges.

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