The Tribune

PATRICIA Minnis has thrown her support behind the launch of a sewing programme in the Over-the-Hill community, aimed at economic empowerment of residents.

The programme, which provides free sewing classes, was launched on Monday, July 13, at the Centreville Urban Renewal Centre. Minister of Social Services and Urban Development Frankie Campbell, among other officials, was also present.

Mrs Minnis, representing the Office of the Spouse of the Prime Minister, underscored the importance of the programme and other such initiatives.

She announced that from July 20-24 her office will hold food processing classes for women and girls to empower them to make a living.

Mrs Minnis also envisioned plans to duplicate these initiatives throughout the Family Islands. “So we are swapping, switching and looking at various things that happen in this Over-the-Hill community to carry to other communities especially in the Family Islands. They would love to see the sewing machines as well as the food processing classes going to all our Family Islands,” she said.

The Over-the-Hill Community Development Partnership Initiative donated the 10 sewing machines to two Urban Renewal Centres – Centreville and Bain & Grants Town — as part of the launch of a suite of technical and vocational programmes in the inner city. These programmes are designed to attract residents who are unemployed or with low incomes to entrepreneurship and apprenticeship. Residents are encouraged to contact Urban Renewal Centres to apply.

Another objective of the sewing programme is to provide residents with opportunities to explore other entrepreneurial paths to earn a primary or second stream of income and thus reduce poverty inequality levels and potentially reduce crime.

The key stakeholders are the Over-the-Hill Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister, Urban Renewal, Department of Inland Revenue and the Small Business Development Centre.

The sewing programme is part of components of the Over-The-Hill Community Development Partnership Initiative launched by the Prime Minister in May 2018.