NAFOFILA Fundation, Publication CS_TL_Flavia Omar Mendonça 250225

                
  

 CASESTUDY

TIMOR-LEST   EMPOWERINGWOMENTHROUGHTAILORING

Flavia Omar Mendonça, a30-year-old member of Feto Nakukun ba Naroman(FNN), participated in the tailoring training held from 04 to 06 December 2024 in Leo-Lima,  Hatu - Udo in Ainaro Municipality, Timor-Leste. The training, facilitated by NAFOFILA, aimed to enhance participants’ tailoring skills, boost learner motivation, and improve economic opportunities for women by increasing their capacity to produce and market high-quality products

Before the training, Flavia and her group lacked access to the necessary resources to start a tailoring business. However, through the support package from NAFOFILA, they were able to organize them selves, strengthen their skills, and begin producing clothing items.

“Durante ne’e ami iha uma de’it, maibé agora ami bele organiza malu no kapasita malu ho koñesementu naton ne’ebé ami iha hodi prodús produtu sira atu nune’e responde ba ami nia nesesidade uma laran.” 

(“Before this, we were just at home, but now we can organize our selves and train each other with the knowledge we have to produce products that respond to our household needs.”)

The training and support made their dream a reality, allowing them to start producing garments, improve their sewing skills, and prepare for market opportunities. “Kontente loos tanba Fundasaun NAFOFILA bele responde saida maka ami mehi hela durante ne’e,ohin loron sai realidade duni.” (“We are very happy because the NAFOFILA Foundation has responded to what we have been dream in g of, and today, it became a reality.”) With their new skills and access to materials, the group can now produce quality clothing items for house hold and commercial use, develop economic independence by generating income from their tailoring work, and support one another in a collective learning environment, strengthening women’s empowerment.

RESULTS

The training has led to significant changes for Flavia and her group. They are now committed to sharing their know ledge with other women who lack tailoring skills.

“Grupu ida ne’e iha komitmentu no obrigasaun atu fahe tután koñesementu ne’ebé ami iha atu nu’une bele tulun ami nia maluk sira ne’ebé mak ladauk iha koñesementu di’akkona-bamaneiraoinsáatusukuhodi’ak.”

(“This group has a commitment and obligation to share the knowledge we have so that we can help our friends who do not have good know ledge abut how to tailor properly.”)

Beyond skill-sharing, the training also led to improved productivity as members are now more efficient in their work. It also contributed to having better teamwork by strengthening group cooperation in tailoring projects. Finally, the training supported their economic empowerment through increased opportunities toearn an income.

“Jeralmente, aplikasaun husi ha’u nia aprendizajen sira lori ona ba aumentu produtividade, hadi’a dinámika ekipa nian, no kultura organizasionál ida ne'ebe pozitivu liu.

(“Overall, applying my learnings ha sled to in creased productivity, improved team dynamics, and a more positive organizational culture.”)

While the training was highly beneficial, Flavia and her group faced challenges in adapting to the learning process and meeting market standards for tailoring products. Among the se challenges were limited tailoring experience(some members needed a ditin al practice to improve Qualit quality),resource 

 constrants  (the group needed more materials to continue production),and scaling up of production(the group struggled with expanding their business due to limited resources).

To address these challenges, Flavia recommended more advanced training on tailoring techniques to improve product quality, continued material support for expanding production, and market access opportunities to sell their products.

“Hau hakarak rekomenda ba Fundasaun NAFOFILA atu bele fasilita formasaun tan ne’ebémaisrelevantemaiamiligahoalfaiateniannoseluk-seluktan.”(“I would like to

recommend that NAFOFILA facilitate more training that is more relevant to us, especially related to tailoring and other skills.”)

PERSONAL GROWTH

The training significantly boosted Flavia’ s confidence and motivation, as she now feels empowered to contribute to her house hold and community. 

“Hau sente kontente tebes liu ho atividade ne’ebé implementa husi fundasaun NAFOFILA,ami garantia katak ami nafatin iha komitmentu no vontade ne’ebé di’ak hodi bele motiva malu.”

(“I am very pleased with the activities implemented by the NAFOFILA Foundation. We are committed and willing to motivate each other to strengthen our group.”)

For Flavia, the training also had ab roader social impact, as many members of FNN are women who have been abandoned by their husbands. The group provides them with support, economic opportunities, and a sense of belonging.

“Iha ami nia grupu ida ne’e maioria Feto de’it akumula husi maluk feto sira ne’ebé maka laen abandona hela, ami mai halibur hamutuk iha grupu Feto Nakukun ba Naroman (FNN).”

(“In our group, most of the women are those whose husbands have abandoned them.We came together in the group Feto Nakukun ba Naroman (FNN).”) She expressed gratitude to NAFOFILA for providing them with the training and resources needed to start their journey towards financial independence.