Zakaria is a teacher by profession but he is now also self-employed. He was one of the trainees in the sewing machine maintenance course in Mwanza, Tanzania, recently run by Tools for Self Reliance Cymru. The TFSR Cymru Project Officer Michael Kimaryo, met him and had some informal talks. This is what Zakaria had to say:-
‘My name is Zakaria William, a teacher but I also engage myself in other income generation activities including running a small shop. I am a father of two children and one wife. When you called me in the first time and introduced to me a training course on sewing machines maintenance I was shocked! Not because I had no idea on the repair issues as I used to fix a number of items including bicycles but because I didn’t think worth enough to participate in such a project. In addition, you know many people from so many organizations use to visit us in our localities with many promises on a number of projects but you never see them again. Maybe they just use us in getting information for their project proposals. But I can now see this one is real. You gave me enough information about the SIDO/TFSR Cymru project, asked me to join the training and after a short time you called me again for the same. Now I am a fundi, so happy that I have added new skills which will enable me getting additional income.
The training itself was very interesting and attractive. The teacher was excellent and we had all the equipment needed. It is however too short. When I went through the paper provided by the teacher on the topics to learn I was wondering how we could cover all those in 10 days! Please think of a way of extending the time. Some sewing machines especially those brought at the end were quite complicated; yet they are the ones very useful and applicable these days. Otherwise it was a good training and I am confident I can fix machine like Butterfly which are very common in my place.
Tailors will also be happy that now there is somebody around who can help them. But one more thing. As you can see I am a disabled person so I cannot move around long distances. Therefore think of adding some few more fundis in my area whom I can work with.
Lastly please pass my greetings to TFSR Cymru people (though I have never seen them) and tell them I am so happy with the training. Thank you very much on their behalf. They have given me an opportunity which I never expected to get in my life’