Implementation Plan: Tailoring for Sustainability (T4S) Project

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1 Implementation Plan: Tailoring for Sustainability (T4S) Project Brief description of Project T4S (Tailoring for Sustainability) is a social enterprise project aimed at empowering young women and single mothers to sustain themselves and better support their children s education, through engagement in tailoring services. The program will comprise of three main areas: (1) General Tailoring Services, where trained and experienced tailors will be hired to mass-produce ready made designer clothing for sales and to also provide services to the community, schools, and other institutions needing tailoring service. (2) Sell-Pay Retailing program will assist young women and single mothers who don not want to be trained in tailoring to be engaged in the retail selling of the clothing and materials produced from the General Tailoring Services. (3) Vocational-Tailoring Institute will focus on training young women and single mothers in tailoring for six moths. After a successful graduation, each candidate will be given a sewing machine on a hire-purchase arrangement. Lead agency Other government or non government agencies involved Education Care Africa (ECA) Inc. is a US based registered charity organization operating in Liberia, West Africa. ECA provides educational support and school material assistance to children and their parents for better school outcome. ECA is also a registered organization in Liberia, West Africa Key implementing partner - Basket of Hope Charity Organization for Children and Women in Liberia is a registered charity organization that strives to empower women and girls through advocacy, vocation skills training, community service and capacity building. Possible supporting governmental agencies Ministry of Gender Ministry of Youth & Sports Local NGOs 1

2 Budget allocated and any financial implications The key areas that will require financial commitment will be but limited to the following: securing the sewing machines, transportation, project site, recruitment and salary for trainers, payment of salary for project officers, workshop setup, purchasing technical supplies and logistics for general administration purposes General Estimate is about: 7, USD. This will be in kind and cash. Outcomes 100 young women and single mothers are empowered annually Increased participants ability to better support their children in schools Enhanced better school outcomes for children s of participants Provide on-going jobs and source of income for 100 young women and single mothers Enhanced participants self esteem and confidence Improved participants wellbeing and livelihood Reduced poverty and unemployment for participants Provide professional livelihood opportunities for participants Empowered young women to be self reliant How program will be implemented - Program implementation committee established - Arrangements made and sewing machines are received in Monrovia from USA - Arrangement made to transfer sewing machines to Voinjama, Lofa County. - The program is implemented in three phases as follows: Phase one: General Tailoring Services - Venue identified for the tailoring services - Set- up is done - Trained tailors are recruited and orientation is provided - First batch of materials provided for initial production - Flyers prepared and distributed to attract customers from the public and private sectors - Program is launched and general operations begin Phase two: Sell- and Pay (SAP) Services - Participants recruited and orientation done - Background checks and risks analysis done on each participants - Contracts signed and operations start 2

3 - Showroom hired in Monrovia Phase three: Vocational Tailoring Institute - Relevant inquiries and paperwork done with vocational education authority in Liberia - Training venue identified - Syllable written and produced. Syllable to cover areas in tailoring skills, customer service and basic sales skills and financial - Partnership established with relevant local NGOs and community groups for recruitment - Trained tailors are recruited and provided vocational training skills - Operations start (as soon as building is rented and materials are put in place) Monitoring and reporting Initial measures will include: - Amount of money used for start up. Number of individual participants receiving services, number of staff employed number of sewed materials produced, numbers sold, and amount generated and how it was disbursed - Project will be monitored at every level of the implementation process against desired outcomes and key performance indicators (KPIs) - Monthly progress report will be prepared and presented for each phase of the project Profit Management & Community Benefit As a social enterprise, the primary goal is to empower the community and maintain sustainability. In this direction, all surplus funds from this project will be managed in the following way: 60 % will be used for the expansion and sustainability of the project 40 % will be used for community empowerment projects such as: After School Support Program for kids, Adult Literacy Program and community transportation program to expand opportunity for economic empowerment. Meanwhile, ongoing consultation will be held to decide on other relevant community development projects that address identified or felt needs within the community. Risk Lack of interest for vocational training Risk Mitigation strategy Information sessions will be organised to explain the process and benefits of the program to potential participants. This will assist potential 3

4 Unwillingness of local authority to comply Problem of retention and lack commitment participants to make informed decisions about joining the program or not. Hold consultation and information sharing sessions to adequately address concerns local authority or key stakeholders may have about the project Participants will be engaged in other activities such as outing, psychosocial education and the like, to assist in sustaining their interest in the program. Provision of compensation for participants when need be. Increase public relations activities. Safety and security of machines Project logistics will be kept in warehouse and security employed to protect them. For safety and security of the vocational tailoring training (machines) materials, the institution will contract private security services Participants will be informed of the consequences of insecurity and any dubious act committed against the project. Participants will be trained with occupation health and safety as well as tools handling. Consultation required Local authority, school community, relevant NGOs, community leaders and relevant women groups Other background and key facts Lofa County has seven political districts and one township and is one of the counties in Liberia that was badly hit by the civil war. Currently, it hosts thousands of at - risk young women and single mothers roaming about without meaning jobs. This situation makes them vulnerable to exploitation, marginalisation and extreme poverty. Project Contact Education Care Africa Musa V. Willie Education Care Africa, P.O Box 697 Coatesville, PA info@educcafrica.org Mohamed Salia Dukuly 5/21 Blaxland Avenue Newington NSW Australia Tel:

5 Education Care Africa LIBERIA CONTACT Mohammed Z. Fofana Project Offcer C% Monrovia, City Parking Authority Broad Street, Monrovia, Liberia Implementing partners Contacts USA: Fatuma Fofana Basket of hope global 5701 shingle Creek Parkway suite 631 Brooklyn center mn Tel: Liberia: Mohammed J. Kelleh Basket of Hope Liberia Lofa County, Voinjama 5