UPDATE: Phina's Sewing Business [Uganda]

My last posts about Phina were of her graduation and her receiving of a sewing machine from other Deaf Dreamers in Uganda. Oryem sent me an update on Phina's sewing business!

Phina working on a treadle sewing machine

On the way back from Rwanda to attend Esther and Bonny's graduation, Oryem was chose to take an alternate route to see Phina:

Dear Destiny,

I hope you and your family are fine.

Greetings to all the sponsors for facilitating my journey to Rwanda. 

It was full of great experience as mentioned in my previous email.

I landed back in Entebbe well, but before I could board the Bus Back direct to Gulu, I thought of taking the Eastern Route so I could pass by and say hi to Phina.

Phina was finally able to gather some little funds to start her Business. She started her business in September 2023, three months after we gave her the machine.

Just a month after she started her business, the building where she was operating needed some renovation she was informed of the changes, but as she was transporting her machine, a speeding motorcycle hit them and the machine got broken. Phina said she also sustained some injuries but later on got healed.

Thank God Phina had partnered with other colleagues to open the business. One deaf girl and one hearing girl

Currently, they are using two sewing machines. By the time I reached their site this morning, they were preparing to take the machine for welding.

Phina is already training one deaf girl in Tailoring. They're having two interns at their Business sites.

And they are planning on opening a group Bank account where they will be saving their earnings.

In the photos, you will see their products.

Their plan is to work together as a team up to Feb next year. And then distribute their savings amongst themselves so that each one of them shall be able open her own business.

These are the few information I can give you about Phina for now.

Thank you.

Oryem.