Stitching Community: Empowering Women and Building Resilience in Derj

In May 2024, Ms Khadija El Ojeli met with Ms Georgette Gagnon, Assistant Secretary-General and Resident Humanitarian Coordinator for Libya, celebrating the completion of a UNDP project that rehabilitated and supplied equipment to the Centre.

Thanks to this impressive effort, the Centre now boasts 19 sewing machines. Here, women produce traditional Arabic male clothing, bed sheets, school uniforms, and curtains. Additionally, the Centre has successfully trained 15 women who are now ready to enter the market with their products.

Despite the challenges of transportation, the Centre has now become a vibrant hub of community and continued learning. Women often return for multiple training sessions, further enhancing their skills. The Centre also accommodates children, providing facilities where they can play and be supervised while their mothers focus on their training.

Looking ahead, the women aim to secure adequate supplies to generate income from their projects. Additionally, they hope to enhance the children’s play area by adding artificial grass due to water scarcity.