Mwenyi Opobo Abdula

Founder/program director

Project summary Biography

I am Mwenyi opobo abdula born in 1980 in a small town called Mbale, in the Eastern Region of Uganda. I grew up in an extended family, studied islam at a young age, went through primary education at North Road Primary School and later joined High school at Masaba Secondary School. I got intrest in fine art when i was in this school but i was still in a lower class, I used to join O- level candidates in creating sculptures and masks for there fine art final exams. This earned me a reputation with older students. I also Used to cut old pairs of jeans and re-design them different colours and writings for fun with friends.

Education

Leaving in the real world

My fashion design career began in 2000-2007 is where i had seven years of training and learning skills. i was unable to continue with my university education , I left my parent’s house and set to Kampala the capital to change my life since i had no chance of Further Education to join my 2 brothers who were dealing in fashion Design Mr. Kasumba Latif and Hakim Murungi.

I learned many skills from my brothers for one years, i loved and allowed to be trained and work with my skilled brothers all this time. During which i got experience in fashion shows, competitions and fashion industry at large.

In 1998 had gained the skills, and i knew i was good at what i was doing.i decided to leave the country and this time my destination was South Africa with no other motive but to build my dream of fashion design and to share what i had learned talent with whoever would like to learn.

Working with the community,

One of the most difficult decissions to make In the community involvement is to decide who to help and who to leave out. There a number of challenges but it’s a perfect lesson to learn,

community involvement is the best ways to bring communities together by sharing our burdens, views ad ideas, making ways and decisions to overcome difficulties like poverty, hunger and distress within our communities. We can also manage to plan better futures for our own children once we put our ideas together.

A smile from someone's face saying thank you is another pleasure that starts an excellent day for me. i feel good to make a change, and I feel better when seeing people succeed with what we teach them. i am privileged that Allah has blessed me with Knowledge to do what i do and with my team, we have decided to share it with the community for the better community development

Founder & Program Director. (PSDC)

I started this organization to help those young women who are always struggling with jobs, and have nowhere to go. I have taught them since i started for free and i just thought it’s not enough if i register i can do a lot and give many skills to many young women and youth who prefer becoming fashion designers.

I feel happy that I have done my best to help people who need support. Currently PSDC have started training teenagers after school from vulnerable homes to make them a way to a better life in future and to afford them manage their education with the skills they can get from PSDC trainings.

PSDC is non profit organization founded and registered with one soul aim of assisting in the empowering vulnerable groups of the society through skills training. These include women, orphans, school drop outs & unemployed youth.

PSDC is set to offer a suit of innovative training programs using a combination of technical skills and business modules to equip the above groups with necessary skills for self reliance i.e. Garment construction, pattern cutting fashion computing and entrepreneurship, women hair dressing.

Working as a tailor in the Hilbrow community of South African Johannesburg brought me closer to the low class people of the society, interacting with the poor, unemployed, and school drop-outs. Orphans, This assessment survey made me realize the fact that skills development was paramount in elevating the life of the marginalized groups within his new community in South Africa, this would make them self-reliant and also make them job creators and it would make a difference within the community and their lives

In 2013 using my savings from my shop, i set up a centre for training called Progressive Skills Development Centre (PSDC) , I purchased few second hand sewing machines, rented the premises with a mission of empowering these vulnerable groups with in my new community through skills training. These groups include the poor women, Orphans, school dropouts and young people from vulnerable back grounds. I later approached some community members to introduce my idea to them who welcomed the idea and and accepted to join hands and form a committee that would oversee the registration of the project and the implementation of my dream