St. Dorcus Institute of Dressmaking, Tailoring and design Mbuya parish is a catholic founded institute situated within St. Kizito Primary school at Lydia Macchi building attached to the Youth Centre/ Library. It was started in January 2009 by Rev. Fr. Joseph Archetti, a Comboni Missionary and his assistant Sr. Elizabeth from a missionary congregation of the Evangelizing sisters of Mary.
The college name, “St. Dorcus”, is derived from the New Testament, “Acts of the Apostles” 9:36ff. This explains about a woman who was a devoted disciple who spent her life weaving loans/clothes and dedicated her whole life to the work of charity.
Aims and Objectives:
The main Aims and objectives of the course are as follows:
- To provide increased training opportunities for the less advantaged persons from poor social and economic background, enabling them to be self-supporting.
- To help the needy that are internally displaced within the country within the suburb, Kitintale, Kireka, etc. so as to enable them acquire skills with which they can become self-reliant.
- To help awaken interest of the trainees making them discover their talents and utilize them to the maximum.
- To provide practical skills in dressmaking and tailoring and develop positive attitudes that will enable the trainees enter gainful employment or start small-scale income generating activities.
Duration/Year of existence:
This is the fourth year since this institute started. The number of old students who successfully completed their course is 55. The current number of students is 13. This year the institution is undertaking training for different responsibilities that each one has to take in the coming period. Namely, some will be teachers, production workers, production managers, sales officials, Accountants, etc.
Nature of students
The students include school drop outs, illiterate and few that have poor grades either at P7,S4 and S6 and have failed to join other institutions.
Length of the course:
- Two years for DIT (Directorate industrial training) certificate.
- Three years for UNAP/DIPLOMA/DEGREE
- Part time course is available as well.
Achievements:
- Students have successfully completed and already working in various places.
- Similar training in the institute.
- Acquisition and renovation of the current structures housing the institution.
- Acquisition of some few machines for the trainees.
Challenges:
- Inability of some students to complete due to lack of funds.
- Lack of accommodation for distance students.
- Failure of many willing students to join due to lack of tuition.
- Limited training materials e.g. fabrics and the necessary tools like machines for training.
- Inadequate staffing due to inadequate financial facilities in the school.
- High cost of running the school e.g. due to increasing water and electricity bills.
- Increasing number of vulnerable students brought through the church that hardly pays, beside those pending on the list.
Way forward
- Emphasize quality products from the Institute to market the school and ensure that students do National exams which can enable them be recognized countrywide.
- Approach NGO’s, well-wishers and Government officials for support so as to expand the school and be able to cater for many.
- Through the church and the society reach and provide skills to many of the disadvantaged groups to improve on their economic status.
- Encourage the disadvantaged people in the society to become self-reliant.
- Acquire an independent plot on which the school can be established for future expansion.
- Training and retaining some of the best trainees to remain as staff in the institution.
NB: The College is now ready to begin quality and much production hence you are warmly welcome to surprise us by giving us some orders. Our work is good and at affordable price.
Our products:
The products produced include; Bed sheets, table cloths, curtains, trousers, coats, sport ware, hats, shirts, ties, beats, bags, party ware, kitenge, uniforms, materials in rolls, baby and children ware, church vestments, bridal ware, cakes, Decorations and flower arrangements etc.