FREE and SWSC

Last weekend we hosted some visitors from an organization in Lusaka called FREE (Foundation for the Realization of Economic Empowerment). In partnership with FREE and funded entirely by Kansanshi Mine in Solwezi, 3 women were invited to run a workshop for our students on jewellery making from recycled copper wire and sheeting.  

Tammie (SWSC Canadian Board Member) had come across some of FREE’s copper products (rings, bangles, bracelets, necklaces and earrings) at Lusaka’s Sunday Craft Market in April. She had met with Dawn (the Founder of FREE) and ordered some jewellery for me to take back to Canada for Tammie a month later. Before I flew out in May, I sat down with Dawn in Lusaka to collect the jewellery. At this time, I had the opportunity to hear her story. She told me all about how FREE was started and how important it was to empower women by ensuring they are in control of their own financial futures. Before the end of the conversation, I had convinced Dawn that our female students would greatly benefit from an opportunity like this. She had ensured me that anyone could learn the skills, including teenage girls, and they would be able to produce market-able items and earn a monthly salary. 

Charity and Vanessa working away on rings!

Most of our students are coming from families of at least 5 or more children. A lot of them are coming from single parent families (with one parent deceased) or others coming from the care of relatives or Grandparents. They’re from rural villages, where farming is the main source of income. Parents work every day in their fields in the heat with minimal resources in order to produce enough to send all of their children to school. Although we don’t charge school fees at SWSC, we do ask these parents to pay for uniforms and their children’s food each month. I’m guessing that the cost of food can’t be much more than $40.00 CDN a month per student. Regardless, this cost is a huge burden to parents, and yet they never stop working to earn enough to send their children to school. If the girls themselves could earn enough each month to pay for their own food, clothes and other necessities; their parents would be relieved of this burden and the girls would have the pride of fully supporting themselves. 

Linda from FREE (purple shirt) showing the girls how to mold and size rings.

And so with that…. Dawn went to work writing a proposal to Kansanshi requesting funds for the workshop, as well as for the costs of the necessary tools and equipment. Kansanshi approved the proposal and a date was set for September for the workshop. Another valuable piece of the puzzle fit in, when a member of the Church I go to in Solwezi commented on the copper jewellery I was wearing one day. When I told her about FREE and the upcoming workshop, she mentioned that she was also a jewellery maker (her expertise being in silver), and that she’d be interested in coming to partake in the workshop and possibly helping out with this project. Since last week, Michelle has now committed herself to volunteer 2 days each week to continue the training, as well as supervise the girls’ work. She believes the girls will have sell-able items in about 2 months! Get your orders ready. Each piece of jewellery will be marketed with the producer’s name, and therefore the buyer will be able to make a connection with that student. Students will receive a percentage of each sale they make. Another percentage will go to sustaining the project.  

 

Eliza (seated in the middle) helping Lyness perfect bangle making.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall, this has been a great experience. I LOVE the idea that 2 incredible Zambian organizations, FREE and SWSC, can work together to make things better. A highlight of all of this, was watching one of our academically weaker students, Eliza, excel immediately at this skill. During the workshop, I had to practically carry the students out of my house on a Saturday night at 9:30pm because they still wanted to work on their jewellery. They’d already been at it since 8:00 that morning and had no interest in stopping. It was nice to see the girls take to something so keenly that will have almost an immediate impact on their lives; an opportunity once again for them to create their own positive futures.