Shanzu

Shanzu Transitional Workshop P.O. Box 10368 Mombasa, Kenya

W hat is Shanzu Transitional Workshop?  Irma Thibodeaux, Peace Corps Volunteer,   writes:

Shanzu is a workshop for disabled young women that was established in 1992.  Here they learn skills that enable them to become productive and confident members of the community and society.  The girls arrive at Shanzu at the age of 17 to start a two year traing program.  During their stay, they receive vocational training, learn production skills and tailoring, as well as gain basic business experienceand  a vast array of other skills.  Upon completion of the two-year training, each girl leaves with a tailoring qualification, a sewing machine and personal skills that better equip her for an independent life.   Many of these girls come from a background that is overshadowed by parents and society who treat them either with shame or merely pity, not allowing them to participate in the day-to-day life of the family and community.

The girls are paid a share of the profits when their work is sold to tourists and passers-by and now on the Internet.