Loveness Kavala

Loveness Kavala is a young lady from Same village in the area of Traditional Authority Chiwere in Dowa district. Loveness was born in the year 2000. She is the first born in a family of four children. Her parents are subsistence farmers.
Loveness has a leg disability. One leg is shorter than the other. As such walking for long distances has been a challenge. Whenever she walks for a long distance her legs feel painful.

Loveness was not able to continue with school because her parents could not afford to pay her school fees. She could neither find a job nor a training opportunity due to lack of required academic certificates and money for fees. So she depended on piece work in surrounding farms for her income. However her disability limited how far she could go in search of work. In good months she earned about Mk 15,000,00 per month. The income earned barely supported herself and her family.

But early in 2019 Loveness sent a request for training to Kuthandiza Osayenda Disability Organisation (KODO) in Salima. Her request was accepted and she was given an opportunity to do tailoring training under GCT Tools and Training for Livelihood Project. She started her training in April 2019.

The training gave Loveness skills and knowledge to make different garments such as skirts, petticoats, blouses, dresses, shirts, short trousers etc as well as use and care of a sewing machine. She also learned about HIV and AIDS, how to make composite manure, gender and reproductive health and basic business management skills. She completed her training in September 2019.

After graduation she was given a hand sewing machine and it’s accessories as well as raw materials for her to start a tailoring business. When she returned home Loveness started her business. The people in her village and the surrounding area were satisfied with her skills and. they continue to give her lots of tailoring jobs. She no longer has to go around looking for piece work in surrounding farms; working whilst sitting down at her sewing machine is much easier for Loveness. Loveness has been able to save money and has been able to buy goats and chickens. Her monthly income has grown to Mk 60,000.00 per month, a 300% increase.

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