Our Impact

Who do we impact?

SEWING partners in the Zebilla community mentor small cohorts of five fellows for periods of three years, resulting in the production of clothing products that can be sold to support Zebilla economy and offset some of the program’s projected costs.

SEWING aims to address women’s empowerment and educational equity throughout the Zebilla community.

What SEWING does?

SEWING provides entrepreneurship and skills training. As a team, we strive to empower young girls living in Northern Ghana by increasing educational and economic opportunities to advance gender equality, while simultaneously supporting the local Ghanaian economy and building long-lasting relationships with the greater Zebilla community. Ghanaian girls accepted to the program through an application process learn sewing and entrepreneurship skills under the mentorship of local seamstresses and tailors that will enable them to receive or create sustainable employment, greater financial independence, and self-confidence by the end of the program and inspire other youth within their community.

 

Zehra Syeda and Samantha Jayasundera, two of the SEWING co-founders, stand onstage with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and children’s rights activist Kailash Satyarthi during PeaceJam Mid-Atlantic’s Youth Conference.

 

What have we done so far?

  • May 2021:

    • SEWING is officially established under PeaceJam Mid-Atlantic

  • June 2021:

    • SEWING founders present to approximately 300 attendees at Montgomery County, Md. Equity for Change Summit

  • July 2021:

    • SEWING founders present to PeaceJam chapters from across the globe at an international Saturday Session for the first time

  • September 2021:

    • SEWING founders present to Rotary Club of Potomac-Bethesda & earn sponsorship

  • October 2021:

    • PeaceJam Ghana conducts multi-day operational field study in Zebilla, Ghana to gauge interest, meet with possible SEWING fellows, and form partnerships with local organizations

    • SEWING recognized as Billion Acts of Peace Featured Campaign

  • November 2021:

    • SEWING founders present to PeaceJam chapters from across the globe at an international Saturday Session for the second time

  • December 2021:

    • SEWING featured in Billion Acts of Peace Incredible Acts and Campaigns of 2021

  • January 2022:

    • SEWING chapter is established at Lincoln Community School in Accra, Ghana

  • March 2022:

    • SEWING founder presents at Winston Churchill High School’s International Night and all proceeds from the event are donated to SEWING

    • SEWING founder presents at PeaceJam American University’s Open Mic Benefit and all proceeds from the event are donated to SEWING

    • SEWING founders present to PeaceJam Winooski, Vt.

    • SEWING founder presents at Montgomery County, MD RespectFest

  • April 2022:

    • SEWING founders present at PeaceJam Mid-Atlantic Youth Conference with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Kailash Satyarthi

  • July 2022

    • SEWING founder presents at Rotary Club of Downtown Silver Spring

  • October 2022

    • SEWING published in Westermann Social Studies textbook reaching 500,000 students in Germany

  • November 2022

    • SEWING selected as one of 14 projects internationally to present to an audience of government officials, organization heads, and Nobel Peace Laureates.

  • December 2022

    • SEWING founder presents at the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in South Korea and places top three for the Turner Social Change Prize

  • January 2023

    • SEWING partners with local Ghanaian-based fashion brand KAYADUA

  • April 2023

    • SEWING recognized as 2023 Finalist in University of Michigan’s Innovation in Action socially-engaged design challenge

  • July 2023

    • SEWING’s partner, the West African for Peace, travels to Northern Ghana to facilitate advocacy event for the well-being of Ghanaian women and girls with school-aged children

  • September 2023

    • Homba Mazaleni joins SEWING as a South African Brand Ambassador

  • January 2024

    • SEWING presents at Montgomery County, MD Martin Luther King Day Fair

  • April 2024

    • SEWING wins funding from University of Michigan’s optiMize social innovation challenge

  • May 2024

    • SEWING presents at Montgomery County, MD Interfaith Works Volunteer Resource Fair

  • June 2024

    • SEWING purchases 15 sewing machines for educational fellowship program funded through our volunteer engagement in Singapore