Taste of Malawi e.V., Malawi

Project name: Taste of Malawi e.V.

Project location:  Malawi

Website: http://www.tasteofmalawi.de/index.php?lg=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TasteofMalawi/

Project description:

Taste of Malawi e.V. is a young tailoring project in the “warm heart of Africa”. Malawi is a country, which is not only represented by stunning African nature, but also by its’ friendly and warm-hearted people. However, extreme poverty and non-existing gender equality are tremendous problems. Most women in Malawi are dependent on their husbands and have no opportunity of leading a self-determined life characterized by education, a job and their own income. Taste of Malawi e. V. strives to make a change. We believe, that people can use their talents in order to live happily. Therefore, Taste of Malawi e.V. initiated a sewing training for Malawian women. Besides learning new sewing techniques, they also gain knowledge in business administration, which is important for their future careers as independent tailors. Moreover, the project enables them to connect with each other. Hence, it is not only an educational institution, but also a safe place. The handmade products are made out of Chitenge (a traditional, colourful fabric) and distributed with the help of an online shop. All proceeds and donations are used for covering expenses and paying adequate salaries to the women. Currently, ten German students and three Malawian employees coordinate the project. It is therefore also a great example of international and inter-cultural communication. By crossing borders and uniting people from two different nations, it functions as a platform for creative and cultural exchange.

Goal and purpose of the project:

The Goal is to support women in Malawi. The project offers them a tailoring training and business workshops, enabling them to establish their own business. By doing so, they do not only gain financial independence. They can be creative, develop own ideas as well as personal future goals. Besides supporting women and promoting gender equality, the project focuses on producing Slow Fashion, which is characterized by fair working conditions, adequate payment and the use of high quality fabric.

Motivation of the applicant / applicant team:

Our Motivation is driven by the strong belief in gender equality and female empowerment. A deep affection for Malawi, its’ wonderful people and the African culture is also part of our social engagement. We feel the urge to use our voices, strengths and talents as an international team in order to change social imbalances and make the world a better place. In addition to that, we want to address people in Germany to come to grips with current issues, such as inequality and thus, to take action.

Use of prize money:

As an educational institution, we are highly dependent on power. The daily office administration requires power, as well as the sewing machines to train the women. While desperately needing electricity, we also want to stay true to ourselves and our moral guidelines, based on the principles of equality and environmentalism. Thus, we would like to invest the money in solar panels on the roof of our building and thereby lower running costs and ensure a smooth learning process for our tailors.