July saw 38 members from 17 different groups take part in a course designed to help them maintain their sewing machines and to repair them when they go wrong.  This as just as important as getting machines out to Tanzania in the first place, helping to make the tailors even more self reliant.  The course was run by Mr Dickson Shenkalwa the technical officer for Tanga Region.

Artisans from Kagera Region receiving their tool kits at the SIDO office in Bukoba. . . . .

Meanwhile in Bukoba, 17 tool kits were handed over to artisan groups.  Eleven kits were for carpenters, three were shoe repair kits, two tool kits were for metal fabrication and one was a bicycle repair kit.  These were all prepared by our Mwanza workshop using the tools sent in the last container.

In the front of the picture second from right, is guest of honor Mr. Robert Kwera representing the Director of Bukoba Municipal.  During the handing over speech he thanked TFRS Cymru for their co-operation with SIDO.   “TFSR Cymru offer  a very special kind of support to young entrepreneurs” he commented.  “Those who received the tools should keep them properly and use them to produce good quality products”.

We agree with that.