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| Certificate presentation to the graduates |
The Mzuzu United Methodist Church (UMC) celebrated the second graduation ceremony for the Hope Tailoring School where nine students graduated. The students have been in class since May 2010.They are initiated skills in sewing different patterns. They prepared an exhibition of children’s dresses, duvets; dresses tote bags and many more items to showcase their products and to sell to the audience
The ceremony started with devotion by Pastor Bryson Nkhoma who encouraged graduating students to keep their focus to God. He said sometimes people decide to compromise the word of God because of the skills they attain. “Though Daniel was only taking vegetables he looked better that all his friends who compromised his will by eating Babylonian foods that were not holy before Him. If you keep the word of God you will always succeed. Nothing is difficult with God” said Nkhoma. Concluding the devotion, Nkhoma thanked God for all the woders he is making to the community through the Tailoring School.
The students received certificates from World Hope Corps (WHC) and Technical Entrepreneurial Vocational Education and Training Authority (TEVETA). The certificates were presented by Mrs. Helen Hoens and Mr Kambombe representing the two organisations respectively.
In her speech, representing (WHC) Hoens said she recognises the hard work the students had gone through for the whole training to be accomplished. “i have ever sewn and i know what kind of hard work work you have gone through “said Hoens. She proceeded by saying the students should never under rate the skills they have and she told them that they have the ability to achieve more.
Representing TEVETA, Mr Kambombe said “i thank the pastor and the whole UMC for coming up with a programme like this to empower women. We at TEVETA are happy to have partnered with you in this programme”. He said most of the times women are sidelines and are seen incapable. “With the creations we have seen here shows that these women are very capable of producing quality products” said Kambombe.
The students’ representative Doras Mwale could not hide her joy by thanking the instructor, leaders and husbands who let their wives attend these important classes. “Let me thank the visitors and all people who partner with the church to make the classes a success. I also ask the visitors and the whole audience to buy our products because doing so will support the tailoring school and the students” said Mwale.
The Malawi Missionary Conference was also present at the function through Mr Kephas Mtambo. He said the school is a blessing to the conference. He also encouraged the students that through prayer and fasting God will provide for the needs of the students and also encouraged them to keep their knees down in prayer to God and he will answer their prayers.
He also lamented that poor quality affect most of our Malawian products. “You fail to get customers because of poor quality, improve and perfect your work and you will dominate the market”, said Mtambo. He also suggested that we can have a shop abroad and the money generated would be used to support the school. “Let me ask our visitors that if possible we can have a shop in the USA and be selling our products from the tailoring school there” Said Mtambo.
Finally there was a dinner for the students and guests in celebration for the party. After that the graduating students went selling and buying of the exhibited items. Many people went home with faces of joy characterised by million dollar smiles.
