Established in 2013, it provided entrepreneurship opportunities for 5’000 rural women, thereby uplifting their economic status. The project commenced in a 5000sqm centre in the Free Zone in Onne, where 300 women were selected among over 1’000 applications from the various communities. After their training, they were all retained in our manufacturing factory: within a three-year period, WEPSS manufactured over 5’000 garments, able to compete with international brands in terms of quality and price.
Since January 2016, more focus was placed on training, as production began to slow down due to the unsteady economic tides at the time, eventually shutting the branch down in 2017. Since then, WEPSS absorbs every year a minimum of 200 applicants. At the end of the program, 15% of the trainees who perform exceptionally well are awarded with a start-up kit (which includes an industrial sewing machine and a steam iron) while all the others are given a certificate of attendance. The garments produced during the training period are given to charity.