Iwalewa-Brown Girls Sew Project
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BGS inspires Brown Girls to good character and self-sufficiency while teaching them to sew. There is a Yoruba proverb that relates patience is the king of character. Well seeing requires patience. So very often the girls have to repeat a process two, three times or more. Learning to do things the correct way without haste is how we develop a sense of patience which developed into self-pride. We learn to sew modest clothing and functional items such as a reuse-able tote or a laundry bag.My hope is to provide every girl with a sewing machine to continue their practice in advanced sewing programs. This year our program was put on hold because I was hit ( while stopped at a red light) in a car accident. The program was run as an after school program at KIPP West Prep School where 100 % of the students fall into the Title I category. The program program provide a safe space for middle school students who would ordinarily be leaving school to go home alone. KIPP provides a space for the program. I teach ten girls per class. I intend to gift a machine to the girls who complete the program with perfect attendance. This may seem like an unnecessary expense but if I am expecting my students to perfect the skill they need to have a machine. In the future I plan to have advanced classes. Iwalewa Brown Girls Sewing Project is something I have dreamed of doing for at least five years. I just didn’t know where to begin. Now I have my start.