Sewing Her Dreams into Reality
Once a child labourer, 16-year-old Faiza is now shaping her own future with each stitch.
When Faiza was 12 years old, her father was injured at work while carrying cement sacks. Unable to earn money anymore, he could no longer support Faiza’s education.
Faiza had to stop studying and start working in a leather factory. She earned 4,500 taka a month (S$1.70 a day). The job was hazardous as she had to work with chemicals and the factory did not provide any gloves. Her hands were often covered in bruises, sores, and scars.
Despite the pain, she knew how poor and helpless her parents were. She had no choice but to endure it. The pain became a part of her daily life for three years.
“I used to come back from work with my hands burning in pain that I was not able to eat with my own hands,” Said Faiza.
In 2023, Faiza heard from her neighbourhood about World Vision’s sewing training programme. She seized the opportunity and learnt to sew. With the training and a sewing machine she received, Faiza found a way out of the terrible factory job.
“I am very happy now, as I can sew clothes at home to support my family financially, help with household chores and look after my family.”
Find out more about our work to:
- Help Child Labourers Go Back to School in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
- Support Children in the Slums to help urban poor children thrive.
