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Shortly after Independence in 1964 Mrs. Betty Kaunda memorably told a large gathering that if you educate a man you educate a man, but “educate a woman and you educate a nation,” said the then-president’s wife. Today the Mothers’ Union, part of the Anglican Church in Ndola, is going one step further at its Margaret School of Design and Tailoring, where it is taking 30 to 40 girls and women aged 16 to 40 who have several years of schooling behind them, and giving them six-months’ training in design and tailoring with which they can earn a living, if necessary from home. Two teachers and a caretaker are the only paid staff and all other help is voluntary and comes largely from the Mothers’ Union, which also provides the premises in a converted hall in Mushili Township. “There is no government funding, but bursaries are available through a special EU fund which provides an inspector to ensure that the money is being properly spent, “said Mrs. Margaret Wijnberg, after whom the school is named. She spoke to Spotlight about the contribution of the Mothers’ Union, of which she has been a member in Ndola since 1955. “We are occasionally disadvantaged by our old-fashioned name and by the fact that we do not immediately attract younger women. But the image is changing and more young women are becoming involved,” said Mrs. Wijnberg. “Our work is open-ended, since the real challenge is to
help these young people to make use of their skills after graduating,
by small scale enterprise, cooperative ventures or occasionally
by finding employment in industry. Thus basic business training,
marketing and finance are included in the curriculum.” If
you would like to know more about the school, get in touch with
Helen Cooper, 17, Buckstone Way, Fairmilehead, Edinburgh EH10 6PN;
telephone 0131 446 3323. Shortly after Independence in 1964 Mrs. Betty Kaunda memorably told a large gathering that if you educate a man you educate a man, but “educate a woman and you educate a nation,” said the then-president’s wife. Today the Mothers’ Union, part of the Anglican Church in Ndola, is going one step further at its Margaret School of Design and Tailoring, where it is taking 30 to 40 girls and women aged 16 to 40 who have several years of schooling behind them, and giving them six-months’ training in design and tailoring with which they can earn a living, if necessary from home. Two teachers and a caretaker are the only paid staff and all other help is voluntary and comes largely from the Mothers’ Union, which also provides the premises in a converted hall in Mushili Township. “There is no government funding, but bursaries are available through a special EU fund which provides an inspector to ensure that the money is being properly spent, “said Mrs. Margaret Wijnberg, after whom the school is named. She spoke to Spotlight about the contribution of the Mothers’ Union, of which she has been a member in Ndola since 1955. “We are occasionally disadvantaged by our old-fashioned name and by the fact that we do not immediately attract younger women. But the image is changing and more young women are becoming involved,” said Mrs. Wijnberg. “Our work is open-ended, since the real challenge is to
help these young people to make use of their skills after graduating,
by small scale enterprise, cooperative ventures or occasionally
by finding employment in industry. Thus basic business training,
marketing and finance are included in the curriculum.” If
you would like to know more about the school, get in touch with
Helen Cooper, 17, Buckstone Way, Fairmilehead, Edinburgh EH10 6PN;
telephone 0131 446 3323. |
