Atelier Tahaddi
About the Income-Generating Sewing Atelier
Since 2013, Atelier Tahaddi has been empowering local women by providing opportunities to develop and utilize their sewing skills to earn an income. Operating as an income-generating sewing workshop open daily, the Atelier plays a crucial role in enabling women to contribute financially to their families and gain a sense of achievement, especially in a context where livelihood options are limited.
The women involved in the Atelier spend their days cutting, sewing, threading, and ironing to fulfill orders for a diverse range of products, including blankets, bags, aprons, oven mitts, and potholders. These products are sold to individuals, local businesses, NGOs, hospitals, and at local fairs and markets throughout the year, such as the farmer’s market Souk el Tayeb. The revenue generated provides a modest income for the seamstresses, impacting dozens who are living month-to-month, and also covers the running costs of the project and the purchase of additional materials.
In 2023, 21 women participated in the Atelier, 19 of whom are active seamstresses. Despite the economic challenges in Lebanon, Atelier Tahaddi has implemented strategic business improvements to boost its net annual income. These enhancements include refining sales strategies, implementing new management software, optimizing supply chains, and adjusting product pricing. The Atelier continues to fulfill bulk orders from local NGOs and schools. Notably, in 2020, the team produced over 4,000 blankets for Syrian refugees in the Bekaa Valley and over 20,000 reusable face masks in response to the COVID-19 crisis.
Atelier Tahaddi has adopted a training-focused approach to empower its seamstresses with advanced and transferable skills. Through weekly in-house training sessions and continuous instruction during production tasks, participants are equipped to pursue additional income opportunities outside working hours, diversify the Atelier’s product range, and enhance its sustainability in Lebanon’s challenging economic landscape. Offering sewing machines to skilled seamstresses has further allowed them to generate income independently, sewing for their own families and taking small orders from friends and neighbors.
The seamstresses have expressed the profound significance of being productive and contributing to their family’s well-being. They consistently voice pride in their work, noting that the confidence derived from their involvement in the Atelier extends into various aspects of their lives, fostering a sense of empowerment and positive change.
Through these efforts, Tahaddi is reinforcing its commitment to nurturing the seamstresses’ capabilities, thereby supporting their journey toward self-reliance and professional growth. The Atelier not only boosts the seamstresses’ employability but also plays a critical role in the organization’s market adaptability and financial resilience.
Our Yearly Impact
21 women participated in the income-generating Sewing Atelier
15,000+ items produced
32 sewing training sessions
20% increase in net profits