Chinese Ministry of Commerce sponsors sewing training, donates sewing machines for Samoans (linked to Record ID#49551)

Project narrative

On October 17th, 2018, Chinese Ambassador Wang Xuefeng attended the opening ceremony of the "2018 Training Course on Creative Handicrafts and Sewing Skills,". After the success of the 2017 Training Course (See: Record ID#49551), Chinese teachers from Hunan Vocational College of Foreign Trade returned to Samoa to train 100 women in 5 communities sewing skills. Prior to the training course, the Chinese Embassy donated 20 foot-operated sewing machines to Afia Village. Among the 100 women, 80 were from four villages in Upolu, and 20 were from a village in Savai'i. Furthermore, while 80 participants were taught elementary sewing skills, 20 participants took part in the advanced training course where they were taught to use electric sewing machines. On November 5th, 2018, the completion ceremony for this Chinese-aided training project was held at the National University of Samoa. The three-week training course was hosted in collaboration with the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, the Chinese Embassy in Samoa, Hunan Vocational College of Foreign Trade, Samoan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Samoan Ministry of Women, Community, and Social Development. According to "Women get sewing training," the Chinese Government invested 1.2 million Samoan Tala (ST$) into the program, to cover a sewing machine for each participant, food, and a ST$10/day allowance for participants.