A REDDITCH woman has just returned from Tanzania where she’s been working as part of a project empowering local women – through sewing.
Tricia Mortimer and her husband Tony have become frequent visitors to a poor rural community in East Africa after getting involved through the diocese of Worcester and Dudley.
“The diocese had a visit from a priest from Tanzania who was also the director of a mission hospital. He told us about some of the challenges out there but said the best way to understand them was to go out and see for ourselves, and I think much to his surprise that’s exactly what we did,” said Tricia, from Callow Hill.
That was back in 2012 and, inspired by what they saw members formed a charity group – ‘Mission Morogoro’ – putting the emphasis on health, agriculture and education, and this year, empowering women.
“It’s about giving women a voice and skills and an opportunity in communities where they don’t have any,” said Tricia, now a trustee of the charity.
The sewing project has been a particular success with Redditch, Studley and Feckenham’s strong connection to the needle industry providing an unusual link between the borough and the Tanzanian communities.
“Thanks to the generosity of Mission Morogoro’s many supporters in Worcestershire and Warwickshire a sewing group based in the village of Tunguli has been given the opportunity to learn sewing skills using reconditioned manual sewing machines,” said Tricia.
The charity sent out a tractor and plough last year – both blessed by Bishop John of Worcester – and this year has supplied a motorcycle ambulance.
This latest visit has also seen members broadening the reach of the charity’s work.
“We’ve been involved in meeting with representatives of local government with the aim of forming partnerships that allow communities to become self-sufficient,” said Tricia.
For more on Mission Morogoro visit http://bit.ly/2h5WUc3
