Singer empowers women

By Shehana Dain

Singer Fashion Academy last week awarded diploma certificates to 96 deserving women who’re striving to become independent entrepreneurs in the Sri Lankan retail fashion industry.

The certificate holders completed diploma courses of scientific dressmaking and fashion embroidery. Over the past seven years the academy, a division of Singer Sri Lanka, has assisted over 60,000 students via 68 centres nationwide. 

The main aim of Singer according to Singer Director Sales Kumar Samarasinghe is to provide a firm backing for women to gain financial independency. 

“Necessary steps have already been taken to upgrade the education levels to higher standards by introducing degree courses to provide maximum support with an assurance to the students, who will be graduated from Singer Fashion Academy to stand on their feet with pride,” Samarasinghe added.

To promote the Singer sewing machine, 57 years ago it was decided to start a ‘Sewing School’ to pioneer the art of sewing to the nation. 15 years ago it was renamed as ‘Fashion Academy of Singer Sri Lanka’ and now it has grown to 68 academies and three franchises covering all major cities in the country having more than 2,500 students. Whoever buys sewing machines at any city has the advantage of getting a free demonstration from any academy at anytime closer to their town or village.

At these academies there are scientific dressmaking and machine embroidery courses conducted up to diploma level, which are one year courses; apart from these there are six month professional certificate courses and short term courses for housewives and children who pursue sewing as a hobby. Some of the courses are tailoring, smocking, hand embroidery, sari jacket, home decor, needle painting, patchwork and kiddie’s courses.

The diploma holders thus go onto become self employed or join Singer as sewing instructresses. Speaking to the Daily FT a diplomate from the 2013 batch and budding entrepreneur Surani Weerasinghe said, “I learnt to sew from Singer since I was very young; I received highest marks from my batch. Singer has courses for people who haven’t even held a needle. I’m currently self employed and have two other employees working under me. There are some diplomates I know who have achieved much more success and operating in a bigger scale. Almost all of my batch mates are self employed.”    

“The scientific method Singer teaches us is foolproof. The syllabus is very extensive and complex; one has to work really hard to gain a good result at the end of the course. Executing the scientific method of Singer leaves us no space for mistakes. Thus I have a returning customer base,” Weerasinghe noted.

She further stated that according to her experience Singer’s comprehensive coaching about neatness, results in an almost perfect finish in the final product of diploma holders.

The award ceremony was followed by a fashion show where the stage was open for the students of the Singer Fashion Academy to showcase their talent. Designs under six categories were displayed at the fashion show.

Pix by Shehan Gunasekara