Tuko Pamoja Bags – What does your bag do?

Posted by erica on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 at 2:47 pm

Saidi at work with the support of his family.

Meet Saidi.  He is one of the HIV-positive people that makes SIC’s bags.  Saidi used to work for the Tanzanian Army as a driver, but when his HIV made him sicker he had to quit and was confined to his bed, waiting to die.  But eventually his neighbor, one of SIC’s community health workers, convinced him to go to the hospital and start getting treatment.  Soon he was well enough to get out of bed on his own, and pulled out his old sewing machine to start a job that was easier on his body—sewing.  He is one of the few tailors in the remote, dusty village of Mirongoine; the sewing machine he uses is powered by a pedal he pushes with his feet, and he uses charcoal to heat his iron.  He works quickly and is using the bags project to teach his daughter Fatma how to sew.

Saidi lives in a two-room mud house and is supporting 11 children, his wife, and his mother.  With the money he earns making bags, he has purchased cement blocks and is planning to increase the size of his house to better accommodate his family.  He is an active member of the village’s HIV-positive support group, and says that people who are positive, having heard about his recovery, often come to him with questions.

A finished product!

Our Tuko Pamoja Bags are made by artists, like Saidi, who are living with HIV in rural Tanzanian communities supported by SIC’s HIV services.  Each bag sold not only supports these services, but it also gives these talented artists an opportunity to use their skills to provide better nutrition and education for their families.  Each purchase contributes to a shared fund with their HIV positive support group.  This fund is used to pursue other income generating projects such as building a chicken coop or starting a community garden.  If you are interested in purchasing one for $26 (including shipping), please follow this link and put ‘Tuko Pamoja Bag’ in the designation line.  Make sure to completely fill out your address and we will ship it to you within 5-7 days.

Or you can mail a check to:

Support for International Change
PO Box 25803
Los Angeles, CA 90025

Please include a note with your shipping address.