FAMBRAS Awards Certificates to the First Class of the “Sewing for a Better Life” Project
The project aims to qualify people in contexts of refuge and social vulnerability, seeking to promote entrepreneurship by providing sewing training.
Yesterday (26), 30 certificates were awarded to the first class of the “Sewing a Better Life” project. In addition to the Federation of Muslim Associations of Brazil – FAMBRAS, the program is organized in conjunction with the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian & Charity Foundation, a representative entity of the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and with the Government of the State of São Paulo, through the Center for Integration and Citizenship of the Immigrant (CIC). The project also provided sewing machines and personalized business cards with the students’ names.
Present at the event were the Consul General of the United Arab Emirates, Abdalla Shaheen, Ali Zoghbi, vice-president of FAMBRAS, Carlos Dias, director of communication and marketing at FAMBRAS, Delduque Martins, director of projects and institutional relations at Grupo FAMBRAS, Silvana Paula Pereira, director of the CIC of the Immigrant, and Joiser Perez, monitor and leader of the first class of the “Sewing a Better Life” project.
Ali Zoghbi thanked the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the partnership and highlighted the importance of the country. “The Emirates is a great country that works in more than 176 countries helping people,” he said. Then, Ali congratulated the graduates and talked a little about the project. “The feeling is one of absolute happiness. Today we are completing a stage of a project that started many years ago, and now we have the first class graduating. We are talking about 30 people leaving here trained and hopeful for their futures,” he proudly stated.
Delduque Martins also spoke about the importance of the project for people in contexts of refuge and social vulnerability. “For us, seeing all these students graduating today, receiving their certificate and sewing machine, was a great satisfaction,” he said.
Joiser Perez said that the project positively impacted his life and was a great experience. “In the beginning, when I was offered to lead the project, it was a bit difficult because it was the first time I had been in that position. But soon I got excited because the project is to welcome immigrants, and I am an immigrant, and I know it’s very difficult,” he said.
The “Sewing a Better Life” project changes lives, and for Venezuelan Euclimar Fuentes, 30, it is something very special. She came to Brazil with her son looking for job opportunities, and now, with her sewing certificate, she aims for a better future. “Now I have the opportunity to have a sewing machine that will provide financial help for my family and especially for my son,” she proudly stated.
The Consul General of the United Arab Emirates, Abdalla Shaheen, distributed the certificates, took photos with the graduates, and took the opportunity to say a few words about the project. “I am very happy to be here with all of you. It is very gratifying to be part of the ‘Sewing a Better Life’ project together with the FAMBRAS Group,” he said.
