My name is Ancillor Chiru Tsuma from Mtwapa. Before I joined Tuungane CBO’s Youth Voice and Empowerment Program, I often thought about what I could do to improve my life and support my family. I had always been interested in Fashion and Design and believed that learning tailoring could give me an opportunity to earn an income and become more independent. However, coming from a humble background and being a housewife without professional skills, pursuing that dream was not easy. The cost of training was beyond what I could afford, and although I had the desire to learn, I did not have the resources or opportunity to turn that desire into a practical skill.
Looking back, I realize that what I needed was not simply training. I needed someone to create an opportunity for me to begin. Joining Tuungane CBO through the Youth Voice and Empowerment Program gave me that opportunity. It created a space where I could learn, interact with other young women, discover my abilities and begin thinking differently about what was possible for my future.
One of the most meaningful parts of my experience has been the Fashion and Design and tailoring training. I have learned practical skills in garment making and stitching, and I have also participated in tie and dye activities, where I learned how fabrics and clothing can be transformed into creative and valuable products. Before the program, Fashion and Design was something I was interested in but could not pursue. Today, I have practical skills that I can continue developing and potentially use to create a source of income for myself and my family.
There is something deeply fulfilling about being able to sit at a sewing machine, follow a design and eventually see a garment or another item take shape through my own hands. It has given me a sense of achievement that is difficult to explain because it represents more than learning how to sew. It reminds me that I am capable of learning something new, developing it with practice and eventually using it to create opportunities for myself.
My experience with Tuungane has also taught me that empowerment goes beyond technical skills. Through the life skills sessions, I have become more confident in expressing myself, making decisions and understanding my own strengths and abilities. Being part of a group of young women has also been important because we have been able to encourage one another, share experiences and learn together. The football activities gave us another opportunity to connect, have fun and develop teamwork while also creating a space where we could take care of our mental wellbeing.
Another important part of my journey was participating in the Ubuntu Business Development training. Before this training, my thinking was mainly focused on acquiring a skill. The training helped me begin thinking about what could come after the skill. I learned about business planning, financial management and how an idea can be developed into a sustainable income-generating activity. It made me start asking myself how I could turn the tailoring skills I was acquiring into something that could eventually support me financially.
This has been one of the biggest changes in how I see my future. I am no longer thinking only about learning a skill; I am beginning to think about how that skill can become part of my livelihood and contribute to my financial independence. I have started to understand that becoming economically empowered requires not only knowing how to produce something, but also understanding how to manage resources, plan, identify opportunities and make informed decisions.
When I think about the most significant change in my life since joining the program, I would say it is the confidence I have gained and the way my perception of my future has changed. Before joining YVEP, I did not have a professional skill that I could depend on. I had dreams, but I did not have the tools or opportunity to pursue them. Today, I have practical tailoring and creative skills, greater confidence in myself and a better understanding of how I can develop those skills into an income-generating activity.
I have also learned not to allow my background to define the limits of what I can achieve. My circumstances may have influenced the opportunities available to me in the past, but they do not have to determine my future. The program has helped me recognize that I have abilities that can be developed and that with the right support, training and determination, I can continue building towards the future I want.
My hope is to continue improving my Fashion and Design skills and eventually establish my own tailoring business. I want to become financially independent, support my family and create opportunities for myself. I also hope that as I continue growing, I will be able to inspire other women and young people who may have dreams but feel that their circumstances make those dreams unreachable.
For me, Tuungane has demonstrated what can happen when young people are given more than encouragement. When they are given access to practical skills, mentorship, life skills, business knowledge and a supportive environment, they can begin to see possibilities that were previously difficult to imagine. I came into the program hoping to acquire a skill, but I have gained much more than that. I have gained confidence, knowledge and a stronger sense of direction.
I am still on my journey, and I know there is much more for me to learn. However, I now approach that journey with a different mindset. I have something in my hands that I can build on, and I have a clearer understanding of where I want to go.
“Tuungane has taught me that my background does not have to determine my future. I now have a skill, confidence and hope to build a better future for myself and my family.”
Today, when I think about Fashion and Design, I no longer see it simply as something I have always wanted to learn. I see it as a possibility for creating a livelihood, expressing my creativity and building greater independence. Most importantly, I now see myself as someone who can shape her own future, one skill, one opportunity and one step at a time.