Good Hope Ministries started a sewing program in 2016 where we teach abused women, single moms, and prostitutes who want to change.
We have three sewing classes. Each starts with a Bible lesson followed by 2 1/2 hours of sewing. Every six months, about 60 women graduate. Those who pass receive two certificates. One for finishing the GBL study book (Great Bible Lessons) and another certificate for sewing that will hopefully give them employment or give them opportunity to be self-employed.
Our program reaches out to prostitutes and young girls who have dropped out of school. Prostitution is huge. So many are just plain desperate. It’s their only way of making a living. We teach them and so offer them an alternative way to make a living. Even though this is a tough ministry, many girls’ lives have totally been changed. Here is a testimony from Tiwonge:
Tiwonge is one of the girls that was identified by our team who reach out to prostitutes. These girls are from Karonga, up north, and came to Mzuzu to do prostitution. When they were taken to attend our sewing classes, Tiwonge was so excited because she said this was her dream since she was young. Tiwonge never thought she would one day actually learn to sew for free.
The girls are told that first a Bible lesson will be taught and are encouraged to pay attention and that they are free to add comments or ask questions. Tiwonge and her two colleagues welcomed it all.
Tiwonge told us, “When I was impregnated and gave birth to my son, my parents lost hope in me. They told me that they were not going to pay my school fees nor support me in any way. I then ventured into this dubious behavior of going out with married men.” She continues to tell us, “Each time you are chased from home, you feel it’s the end of your world. This is how I was feeling until Catherine introduced us to your sewing school. I now believe that truly, Jesus loves every person including sinners like me and my friends.”
