From Missteps to Mastery: How a Humble Sewing Class in Guatemala Shaped a Successful Program in Egypt
In 2010, Finding Freedom Through Friendship took its first step toward vocational training by launching a sewing class for Mayan women in rural Guatemala. Fueled by compassion and a desire to empower women economically, the program began with enthusiasm, but little structure. We brought in machines, fabrics, and volunteers, believing that offering a skill would be enough. We didn’t account for the lack of planning: no structured curriculum, consistent local instructor, or fundamental understanding of the women’s educational levels or daily responsibilities.
The result was sobering. Attendance dropped, sewing machines sat idle, and few women walked away with usable skills. Our (supposedly) great idea of creating cloth diapers for women to make and sell was met by fabric acquisition issues, cultural acceptance (or lack of), and inconsistent attendance by women with little spare time from household duties.
Good intentions are not enough. Vocational training in developing countries requires more than tools.
This early failure taught us one of the most valuable lessons in nonprofit work: good intentions are not enough. Vocational training in developing countries requires more than tools—it demands patience, culturally informed planning, and deep investment in the learners’ realities. Years later, we brought those hard-won lessons when we started a new sewing program in Egypt.
We created a structured curriculum, hired a full-time local instructor, and made accommodations because many of our participants had little or no formal education. Teaching someone who has never used a tape measure or followed written instructions to create a garment takes months, not weeks. But now, our Egyptian sewing program is flourishing. You can read more here.
Women are not only learning the craft, they are earning income, gaining confidence, and becoming respected community contributors. What began as a misstep in Guatemala has become a model of sustainable empowerment, proving that failure, when embraced, can be the best teacher of all.
