Sewing Center
OBAT's sewing center is located in the city of Syedpur. There are about 22 camps here and almos 80,000 stranded Pakisanis or Biharis reside here. Except for Bangladesh's largest locomotive workshop, there is no industry in Syedpur. In any case, jobs are very hard to find for the camp dwellers. Most of them drive rickshaws, or are daily laborers and hawkers. After a clothing factory was establised here, OBAT set up a sewing training center. The idea behind it was that by learning how to sew clothes, women could become a source of income for their families.
OBAT's first sewing program began in Novemer 2011 at Bansbari camp. One teacher taught 32 candidates using eight sewing machines in two, three hour shifs, six days a week. The length of the course is four months. The first batch has completed its course in March, 2012. After completing the course, the trainees are able to cut, design and sew.
In the long run, the women could be paid to make clothes that can be sold in local markets, thus creating a permanent source of income for them. With greater resources, OBAT can expand the sewing centers a different camps in Syedpur as well.
