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Changing lives for a better future

 

Tools for Self Reliance helps people in 4 African countries build sustainable livelihoods by providing them with practical training in specific trades, along with business and life skills. Once their training is complete, they are provided with the tools required for them to work in their chosen trade – including carpentry, construction, auto mechanics, bicycle repairers, tailoring and others. The training helps them generate an income for themselves and their families – ensuring a culture of self-reliance, not dependency. More

 Groups of volunteers around the UK work to collect and refurbish the sewing machines, hand and power tools which are shipped in complete trade kits to the in-country partner organisations that deliver our training projects in Ghana, Malawi, Uganda and Zambia. Alongside providing the tools and equipment, Tools for Self Reliance also secure the funding for these projects.
We often have tools that are unsuitable for our projects, or surplus to requirements – some of which we sell in the UK to raise funds for our work.

 The Sutton Group of volunteers meet weekly to refurbish tools and sewing machines, which are then sent to the charity headquarters, or in some cases (as above) sold locally to raise funds. We take in donations of tools, sewing machines and haberdashery. More

 PLEASE NOTE – after a large number of tool donations over the summer, the headquarters are currently over-stocked with most tools and therefore regulating their intake in order to ensure workshop safety for volunteers. We are therefore also sending tools to WorkAid  (workaid.org), who deliver similar work in Africa.