Meet the Young Graduates of the Port Loyola Library Sewing Program
Over the weekend, the first cohort of primary school children graduated from a sewing program at the Port Loyola Library in Belize City. The program was successful with support from Optimist International. Optimist Club 501 Belize is a group consisting of Belizeans in country and in the diaspora who are giving back to the community. The success of the sewing program will see it expanded to other parts of the country in 2023. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Kassidy Blanco
Kassidy Blanco, Graduate, Sewing Program
“The most important thing we learn dah fi hem. Miss put no pressure pan we but she say that the most important thing dah fi hem. Use only yo grip and yo strength.”
Zimara Usher
Zimara Usher, Graduate, Sewing Program
“Another is that if you are handing a needle to somebody, don’t put the sharp part by them; switch it and give them the part which the thread go through. And when you are sewing on the machine, use two fingers and try not to put it by the needle because your finger can go through the needle and you can get seriously injured.”
Duane Moody, Reporting
Over the weekend, the Port Loyola Library successfully completed its inaugural sewing program for the youth in the neighbourhood and hosted a graduation ceremony.
Keisha Zelaya
Keisha Zelaya, Acting Librarian, Port Loyola Library
“We decided that we needed some programs for the young people. We have quite a bit of program for our young children, but we wanted something different, we wanted something that they can use after they have left the library – something that they will enjoy as well and also they can even create their own business – we are looking at entrepreneurship for our young people.”
Support for the program came from Optimist Club 501 Belize, whose member not only provided sewing machines, but also the teacher who carried out the lessons with the children.
Tifarrah “Andazi” Panton
Tifarrah “Andazi” Panton, PR/Foundation Rep, Optimist Club 501 Belize
“We are always looking for programs where we can give our youth life skills. In this case, it was a vocation skill in the form of sewing. So we were very happy when one of our optimist members, Miss Ursula Griffith shared with us that she had the skill of sewing, she was also a member of the Port Loyola Library and they were looking to initiative some of their summer programs and we found that we could contribute in that way.”
Present at the graduation ceremony was Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Education, Dian Maheia, who says that programs like these help to create well-rounded children.
Dian Maheia
Dian Maheia, C.E.O., Ministry of Education
“We have to do more than just look at just what’s in books and what’s in regular schooling. Our move right now toward competency-based education is really linked to all of this. This is what is about. It is about learning what’s relevant; it’s about learning what can help you in life. The skills that these young people have learned are not just about sewing on a button or fixing a hem; they’ve learned some history, they’ve learned math, they’ve learned reasoning and critical thinking and this is what we need to encourage all around.”
Optimist Club 501 Belize also handed over eight new sewing machines to expand the sewing program, come 2023.
Tifarrah Andazi Panton
“The first round was donated from one of our diaspora members, Miss Lisa Castanedes. Miss Ursula shared continuously in our chat group, the progress of the kids and so we had a new Optimist member come on, Mister Anthony Murphy, who is also a diasporan. And he was so inspired by what he was seeing, the skills that the kids were picking up and how exciting they were that he decided that he was going to donate an additional eight machines so that we can expand the program to other areas in the country. At this point, we are looking at Cayo and PG.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
