Workshop cloth diapers for babies and more, during and beyond the COVID19 pandemic economic crisis

In Costa Rica's Southern Caribbean, in communities with tourism as their main economy, many people lost their jobs when tourism was canceled in March with the COVID19 emergency. 

Very soon scarce savings were spent on food, so families with babies or elders who use pampers were having to choose between those two basic needs.

A group of women linked to Mano Vuelta** under the leadership of Javiera Aravenga Bergen of Bebés Costa Rica and Leda Villa of the Cahuita Women Garden  organized a training and production workshop this past September 3 rd  in order to teach 6 women from Limonal  how to make cloth diapers of all shapes and sizes.  Old t-shirts, collected through contributions in a community campaign will become the inner lining of the diapers and guess what the waterproof outside lining will come from? The cloth of old, broken umbrellas! 

The workshop was aimed at anyone who wanted to learn to sew in order to improve their economic situation, help the environment and promote a more sustainable life in the Caribbean. 

Four adolescent women  and two grandmas, none with babies now, came to the workshop.

It taught to produce a simple diaper made from recycled materials, sewn by hand. The tools and fabrics are simple: needles, thread, t-shirts and umbrella cloth.            The six women not only made one each but decided to create a join endeavor to make them to sell.

Workshop #2 eventually will be learning to use a sewing machine, making different sized patterns, cutting, assembly and sewing. 

Workshop #3, An extra for women only!  Making cloth feminine sanitary pads designed in different sizes, cut and assembled. They can be sewn by hand or machine.

The material was being collected by the organizers with Mano Vuelta and a contribution by another emergency campaign, Puerto Viejo Esenciales.

Contact:  Javiera Aravena Bergen  Tel: 83869145 Facebook: Bebés en Costa Rica

For more information about Mano Vuelta:  https://www.worldpulse.com/community/users/maria-suarez-toro/posts/95335