Artisan Spotlight: How Skills Training Is Powering Abizera’s Independence
23-year-old Abizera Florence, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo 🇨🇩, has been part of the RefuSHE community for over five years and learned advanced tailoring skills through our Fashion & Design program. Today, she is a member of the Artisan Collective, where she earns a steady income producing handmade tie-and-dye textiles.
Through her work as an artisan, Abizera earns a steady income that contributes to her family’s stability, helping cover school fees for her four-year-old son and offset part of her rent. Beyond income, Abizera describes her greatest transformation as a growth in confidence.
“Before coming to RefuSHE, I was always shy and unsure of myself. Being together with the other women in the Collective has changed my outlook. We share stories, support one another, and I feel more confident in who I am.”
The Artisan Collective’s arts-based curriculum allows members to express themselves creatively through the design and production of hand-dyed scarves and textiles, acquire transferable leadership and business management skills, and earn a steady income.
Abizera is now building toward long-term independence. Drawing on skills gained through RefuSHE’s Fashion and Design program, she plans to open her own small tailoring business.
With practical skills, steady income, and renewed self-belief, Abizera’s journey reflects RefuSHE’s commitment to equipping young refugee women with the tools to earn, lead, and thrive.
Support artisans like Abizera by shopping our Artisan Collective!
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