Not far from the Neema Shop — where Neema students spend their third year getting real world experience in tailoring — is a combined tailoring and hair shop called Love Tailoring Shop, owned by Neema graduate, Susan Imali. Before coming to Neema, Susan lived with her mother. She used to live with both of her parents, but sometime when she was young, her polygamous father left and returned to his first wife and stopped supporting Susan and her mother. Susan the fifth of eight children.

Susan went to traditional school until 8th Grade and excelled, receiving high marks on her national exams in 2016. But despite her high scores, and despite receiving her calling letter to go to high school, she was forced to drop out because the extreme poverty she was living in meant her mother couldn’t afford the school uniform and supplies required to attend.

Susan heard about Neema from a friend and interviewed in 2016. After not being accepted because of a lack of space in the class, she tried again in 2017, was accepted, and began in 2018. During her three years at Neema, Susan benefited greatly from the trauma and guidance counseling she received and grew emotionally and spiritually during her time there. In her third year, she said,

"I have peace in my heart even when I know things at home are not so well. But I asked God to give my heart peace because I am tired of worrying all the time. I decided to trust him with everything so that I am able to focus."

After graduating in December 2020, she spent the following six months at home, eventually getting married. And then in December 2021, Susan opened her own shop.

The shop itself is somewhat small, with a single, blue-green, metal door granting access. Inside is enough room for Susan’s sewing machine and a few chairs for guests to sit in. But the wall separating the shop in front from her home behind is full of fabric and clothes, as well as hair extensions and accessories. While Susan makes more money doing dressmaking rather than hair, doing hair is another revenue stream that attracts customers.

When Susan first opened, her new husband was in full support and gave her the money she needed to get things started. With that money, she bought a handful of fabrics, thread, zips, and other materials, and has continued to stock up as time goes on and sales come in. And she not only makes dresses for women, but makes shirts and pants for men as well. In fact, one of the things she wished she learned while at Neema is how to make a men’s suit jacket. Not only would this round out her skills in order to make a full suit, it would allow her to fill the requests she gets to do so as well. (Her critique is well noted by us at Neema).

One of the amazing things is that Susan is not content to wait around for commissioned work. In true entrepreneurial spirit, she takes the initiative to think ahead by keeping track of current trends and ideas which she finds on Youtube. She then premakes clothes that are in line with these trends and with what people are wearing for customers to purchase. And if a trend changes, she changes the clothes she’s pre-making. As a result, most of her sales come from the items she’s premade.

As mentioned above, Susan is fortunate that she’s supported by her husband. The money she makes is able to be reinvested into her business or saved, and she hopes to one day move to a bigger shop. But for now, having just recently gotten started, she seems to be experiencing some success. And as a successful businesswoman, she’s proving that women are a valuable part of the community and deserve to be treated as such.

An Entrepreneurial Spirit: Susan's Story

"I have peace in my heart even when I know things at home are not so well. But I asked God to give my heart peace because I am tired of worrying all the time. I decided to trust him with everything so that I am able to focus."