5/20/2026
A sewing workshop equipped and launched by Qatar Charity (QC) a year ago in the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, has transformed the lives of dozens of low-income women. Funded by Qatar’s donors, the project aligns with national empowerment, employment, and social protection strategies to integrate women into the productive labor market.
Established in partnership with the Ministry of Vocational Training, Handicraft and Trades, the workshop supports 40 female graduates of vocational training schools. For these women, the project provided a sustainable income source after years of unemployment, serving as a genuine platform for economic independence and household welfare.
Measurable Impact
Over its first year, the workshop produced 20,000 school uniforms for Taazur, which supports vulnerable populations. This month, a new agreement was signed to produce an additional 20,000 uniforms to identical specifications. Beyond production, the facility offers continuous training to upgrade the artisans' technical skills and product quality.
Encouraging Experience
Fatimetou Mokhtar Salem, Director of Trades Promotion, Craft Micro and Small Enterprises, and Social and Solidarity Economy at the Ministry of Vocational Training, Handicrafts and Trades, hailed the partnership as a successful model of government-humanitarian integration. She described it as an encouraging experience that merits expansion by increasing beneficiaries and enhancing technical capacities to accelerate production.
The workshop has fostered remarkable stories of personal development. Marita Suleiman, a graduate who previously faced unemployment despite her advanced skills, called the project a turning point. "It allowed me to work in a field I love and earn a dignified income to support my family," she said, expressing gratitude to Qatar Charity for restoring the workers' confidence.
Real Opportunity
Similarly, Selma Mohamed, who commutes from the outskirts of Nouakchott, thanked the benefactors of Qatar. Reflecting on her long search for employment, she noted that Qatar Charity provided a real opportunity, allowing her and her colleagues to embark on a shared professional journey.
To ensure sustainability and scale up operations, the workers highlighted several requirements. Speaking on behalf of their peers, Marita and Selma requested additional sewing machines, an industrial electric cutter to accelerate fabric processing, specialized machinery for embroidery, and buttons to optimize the final product's quality.