Uniforms donated by Energisa become sustainable fashion
Project in partnership with the Federal Institute of Sergipe (IFS) promotes social inclusion and income generation for women from quilombos in Sergipe
Anyone who sees a uniform on the body of an Energisa employee cannot imagine the countless transformations it can undergo when it is no longer used. In the Maloca quilombo, in Aracaju/SE, the women of the community are learning how to reuse these uniforms to produce new clothes, bags, cases and more. In the hands of these seamstresses, they become a canvas for creativity, give rise to new clothing designs and generate extra income for families.
The donation is part of a partnership between Energisa and the Federal Institute of Sergipe (IFS), which runs the Women of the Thousand Program, a federal government initiative that offers training courses for socially vulnerable women in various regions of the country.
The project aims to promote social inclusion, conscious consumption and income generation. The Dean of the IFS, Ruth Sales Gama, celebrates the partnership and explains how the uniforms are being transformed in the workshops by the quilombola women:
This partnership with Energisa is fundamental, because we understand that nobody does anything alone. We have already taken these donations twice to the workshop in the Sítio Alto quilombo, in Simão Dias. They have already made shorts and are going to learn how to make cases with the rest of the fabric so that they can even sell it. They are already customizing by removing the information from the uniforms and making appliqués and paintings," says Ruth.
Maria Betânia da Silva Santos, one of the women benefiting from the project, took part in the workshop to customize the donated uniforms. An artisan since 2016, she customized a pair of pants using her favorite technique, fabric painting.
All it takes is a little push to awaken what's in us. This material has helped us a lot. We recycle what we have on hand to make our own clothes," she says.
The partnership was signed in May this year and the aim is for uniform donations to take place on an ongoing basis.
The project promotes the inclusion of these women in the job market, as well as encouraging conscious consumption. This is a partnership that further strengthens our Sustainability value. Our goal is to make this ongoing donation to the Women of the Thousand program and contribute to social inclusion and income generation," says Roberto Currais, CEO of Energisa Sergipe.
In Paraíso do Tocantins, a similar project developed by Apae also transforms Energisa electricians' retired uniforms into sustainable ecobags, providing extra income for the mothers of students at the school and promoting social inclusion. Find out more about the project .
These projects illustrate the power of strategic partnerships to strengthen vulnerable communities. The transformation of discarded materials into new garments and accessories not only values the creativity and talent of local seamstresses, but also reinforces Energisa's ongoing commitment to sustainability and social development.
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