Sewing Classes at SAAJ

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One of the challenges of starting projects during your Peace Corps service is trying to find something that is interesting and engaging to youth. Today, I happened upon a good one.

In the months that I have been trying to integrate into my community, I have had plenty of time to ponder things. That time has been filled with many self-improvement projects like yoga and learning foreign languages, but it has also given me time for my sewing hobby.

Since I have lots of capulana material, I have begun creating purses and scarfs. The Mozambican ladies love them, and it has become a bit of a gift-giving item for me.



I decided to begin teaching sewing lessons at our SAAJ unit. Today was a great success! I was able to teach about 10 young ladies and 3 young men how to create a small bag for their cell phones.

It was important to me to teach something that could be made with readily available and affordable materials. Almost everyone here has capulanas, and teaching to sew by hand means that they do not need to have the money for a sewing machine. A small spool of thread is about 10 MTZ, which equates to about $0.15.



The best part, though, was that I was able to teach a skill that can now be used to create products that can be sold at market or amongst themselves. In fact, a few of the young ladies were already trying to sell the bags they had created.

It also gave me a chance to integrate further into my community. I even had a young lady that wanted to braid my hair.


Overall, this was a very successful class and one that I hope to replicate again and again.



  • To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
  • To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
  • To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.
More on My Peace Corps Adventures

Sewing Classes at SAAJ

Routines and Chores

But We're Safe, Right?

Unexpected Success

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