Turning a hobby into a livelihood

Karen Sudu, Gleaner Writer

EWARTON, St Catherine: MILLICENT 'MILLY' Jamieson opted to make her hobby a career when her dream of becoming a nurse did not materialise. That was more than 30 years ago.

"I always love sewing, so I started, with two domestic machines. Then Mr Richard Azan lent me a couple of industrial machines, and I sewed for him and then I took samples to some stores and that's how I branched out," Jamieson explained to The Gleaner.

Today, the 58-year-old manages M and M Establishment, a manufacturer of baby clothes and physical education (PE) gear. In the past, companies such as Answers for Children, Azan's Supercentre, Kids', Cobbler Plus and Hanna's Better Buy were listed among its customers. During those booming years, the company, now operating out of the Ewarton Community Centre, provided employment for up to10 women.

"I only have two persons working now because things have become very, very slow. I still supply Azan's Supercentre and a school in Ewarton with PE gear," the soft-spoken Jamieson points out.

Inspiring young women

Leonora McKenzie, one of the two remaining employees, has been with the company for the past 13 years.

"I am very thankful for Miss Jamieson. I started as a machine operator, now I do a number of things and I learnt most of them from her. She is an inspiration not only to me, but to other young women in the community," McKenzie attested.

Jamieson talks about her desire to help young women in Ewarton and its environs to uplift themselves. "A lot of young ladies don't have a skill and don't really have anything to do. They'll come and say they cannot sew, but they are willing to learn. They are not working, they don't have any money, so I train them free of cost, then they venture on their own," she said with a feeling of satisfaction.

Last November, Jamieson offered her facilities for a four-week training programme in embroidery logo stitch. Eleven women benefited from the initiative of the Ewarton Community Development Action Committee. Training was conducted by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) in collaboration with Singer Jamaica Limited with funds provided by European Union.

Create employment

Both Jamieson and Rachel Thomas, coordinator, Ewarton Life Skills Centre, and a main player in the project are collaborating to capitalise on the training to create employment for some of the women who participated in the course.

"We want to provide our own logo-stitch machine, as the ones we used were loaned from RADA," Thomas told The Gleaner. "We are doing project proposals to send to different agencies with the hope that we will get a grant to buy our own machine or machines. We are very excited, so we don't want to break the momentum because ultimately we want get the ladies involved and do logos for companies and earn a living."

Espiline Bailey, one of the programme beneficiaries, is anxiously awaiting the opportunity.

"Although I could sew before, I couldn't cut and I couldn't do the embroidery with my hand nor use the computer to put on the embroidery," said Bailey. "Now I can do it, and I have my pieces that I did, so I would really love to get the chance to make a living from this skill," she added with a smile, seemingly proud of her achievement.

Michelle Gayle echoed similar sentiments: "It was the first I was going on a machine and I feel good because I started to do a little sewing, then the embroidery and I made some things; they look nice. I wish Miss Jamieson could get some machines so I could upgrade myself and even get a job with her."

Jamieson, desirous of obtaining HEART Trust/NTA certification, ultimately wants to collaborate with the agency to provide training in garment construction.

rural@gleanerjm.com