Visitors to the Factory

Earlier this month, the husband and team at EGL were very happy to welcome some visitors from the United States, and provide them with a tour of our little garment manufacturing operation in Bukoba. 

The visitors included:  Dr Pamela Sawa from the Ministry of Health & Social Welfare, Smart Baitani (Co-founder of COSAD), Dr Susan McCormick Hadley (COSAD USA board member), Brittany Leitch, country director of COSAD TZ, and Pastor Ben Swanson (COSAD USA Board member). Their visit coincided with the Grand Opening of several Bukoba based projects run by COSAD, namely the COSAD Clinic, the Imuka Recording Lounge and the Bukoba Business Lounge.  All fantastic achievements. So we were indeed fortunate that they were able to spare some time to fit us into their otherwise very, very busy schedule. 

COSAD is a Minnesota based non-profit organisation founded to build partnerships that create sustainable community development through the support of projects involving micro-enterprise, health, education and culture in Tanzania, thus empowering Tanzanians to become economically independent. Each project will be run as a local, private business for profit, to support COSAD's other existing programs and goals.  For more information on, or better still to support a COSAD initiative,  click on the links. 

The visitors were impressed by the EGL crew and made very positive comments about the quality of our garments, and the conditions in which EGL employees work. At the same time they were appreciative of our efforts to provide training, employment opportunities and some kind of economic security for our staff.  And we, as usual, were proud of our team.

THE MWENGE TORCH

The Uhuru Torch (“Mwenge”) is one of Tanzania’s national icons. Originally lit on Mount Kilimajaro following independence in 1961, the Mwenge symbolically shines the light of freedom, hope, love, respect and unity across the nation. Each year, commencing its run from a different district, the torch is carried through all the regions and districts of Tanzania for all to see. This year the Kagera Region were chosen to be the leaders of the National Torch Race and Endeavour Group Ltd (EGL) were proud to be chosen as one of the local industries / businesses to receive the Mwenge.

People will travel some distance especially to see the Mwenge, greeting it with much enthusiasm, sharing in its spirit of goodwill and national pride. So this is what was happening outside the factory on the day, while waiting for the Mwenge to arrive.

With much excitement and officialdom, it arrived - on time!!!! Readers familiar with the Tanzanian concept of time will understand the reason for the excessive use of exclamation marks.

The husband made a short speech, welcoming the Mwenge and providing a potted history of EGL, explaining our mission to address youth unemployment, as well as empower women by providing training and skills for employment within the garment factory environment.  

This was followed by a quick tour of the factory. EGL's goal is to provide industry training to our employees that will enable them to consistently produce garments that meet international quality standards with on time delivery. Opportunities for advancement within the business are provided and fair work practices are upheld, at all times.

The husband received a certificate to acknowledge EGL's involvement in the National Torch Race, and we are all pretty proud about that.

Then it was time to leave.   

Well it was a short visit, but the grounds liked nice with the decorations, although the husband didn't take a photograph to show any of that. Off the Mwenge went followed by its convoy of officialdom to the next visit. 

And we were left quietly proud, quietly proud ... Thank you, God... Amen

Clothes Make the Man. (Mark Twain)

Tanzanians value education. A good education can break the cycle of poverty. All Tanzanian children aged 7 – 15 years must attend school, and the wearing of a school uniform is compulsory.  This in itself is not a bad thing.  Wearing a school uniform is an important part of being a student. It gives the student a sense of belonging to a particular school community, builds school spirit, creates a sense of pride in the school, and demonstrates a respect for the school, as well as a personal engagement with the school’s values and purpose.  In addition, a school uniform promotes the identity of the school within the community. Student dress and appearance are an important aspect of how a community perceives a school, reinforcing the perception of the school and its teachers as an ordered, structured environment that is preparing the nation’s youth for a lifetime of responsible citizenship. Yes, the futures of all nations, rich and poor alike, depends upon the students of today.

Part of education is learning how to present one’s self to the world and that is what the school uniform is all about. Wearing a school uniform teaches children how to dress smartly and take a pride in their appearance, thus building confidence and hopefully academic success. Essentially, it prepares young people for when they leave school and enter the workforce, be that the corporate world, companies where uniforms are a must, or the military, police, or emergency services. It is a fact that well-dressed business men / women command more respect. Likewise, well-dressed students perform better in school due to a more studious environment, which is focussed on education.

Children learn the valuable lesson of looking after what they have through the responsibility of taking care of their uniform: keeping it clean and neat. They are not cheap to replace and are required to last as long as possible. Ideally parts of the uniform should be able to be passed on to younger siblings.

“Uniform” means to be the same – without difference, and that is where the uniforms of many Tanzanian students come undone. The cost of a school uniform can cause financial strain on already struggling families, especially if the lack of funds leads them to purchase what are perceived to be cheaper alternatives from the market vendors / fundis. 

Some local students. Keen as mustard,
but the uniforms could be better.

Many of these garments are ill-made with skipped stitches, unfinished seams that are already coming apart, broken zippers, poorly attached buttons, collars and pockets etc. (and that is at the point of purchase). Often the fabric is inferior and cannot sustain the rigorous daily washing that most uniforms receive. Rarely are the colours uniform, and all in all, the child is wearing badly made, ill-fitting, mismatched garments that cannot stand the test of time. This does nothing for the self-esteem of the child. Nor can the uniform be handed down to a younger brother / sister as the quality of the garment simply is not there.

Looking smart guys! This is how a
uniform should look.

While it is tempting to head straight to the market for cheap uniforms, durability should be a major consideration. Purchasing from the Baraza is a false economy. School uniforms can receive a lot of rough treatment and the selection of a reliable manufacturer is important. Endeavour Group Limited’s quality uniforms (Nguo Bora) are more durable and hold their smart appearance longer. Consequently, they can be handed down to younger members of the family, saving money in the long run.

Ironically, the cost of an Endeavour Group Limited school uniform is no more than the inferior product available at the market. Uniforms made in our local Bukoba factory are consistently of the highest quality, and we can deliver large volumes of uniforms on time, all in correct sizes, consistent style and colours.

At Endeavour Group Limited, we are committed to providing much needed employment, training and the development of our local Bukoba community.

For more information about Nguo Bora uniforms from Endeavour Group Limited contact us by email rayskaijage@yahoo.com or by phone +255 767 210 960