H&M supports Dignity's Skills Training Program

12 August 2021

H&M's partnership is directly supporting the education Skills Training Program that brings together academic learning and hands-on, real-world experiences for an all-round education that meets the needs of youths while serving the neighbouring community.

The program includes our Transformational Enterprise, sew X dignity, one of the five operations offering sewn goods out of up-cycled and local fabrics. All the products are 100% made by students or refugee mothers.

This paper bag charge initiative commenced on 1st December 2020 and is ongoing until 30th November 2021.

Thanks to H&M's funding, Dignity is able to fund key operational expenses this year (2021) - which was especially critical as Malaysia faced lockdowns and business/ operations were hugely interrupted and affected.

While the Transformational Enterprises have been operating when there is no lockdown, classes have remained largely online with the exception of a cohort of 100+ Secondary students who participated in the Live-In-Program (boarding at Dignity for 2 months when regulations permitted). Dignity strove to provide face-to-face skills training where possible, and responded to changes by experimenting with online-based skills classes and smaller cohorts.

Nevertheless, we continue to work as best as we can, whether from home or at Dignity, and look forward to reopening and training physically soon.

Some Highlights (as of June 2021)

Successfully completed two major contracts with UNHCR Korea and UNIQLO Malaysia and provided income to our network of 17 part-time refugee tailors
Commenced training for 2 Orang Asli (indigenous) students under Dignity's Orang Asli Program
Ran short skills training classes for 13 students
Hired 1 full time refugee tailor to expand operations, increased full-time team to 3 pax from initial 2 pax
Recruited a Design and Operations Manager - coming in after MCO 3.0 lockdown
Purchased an industrial Yamata Embroidery Machine (training after MCO 3.0 lifts)
Purchased other equipment such as 1 new Konwa cutting machine and 1 thermal printer to support online delivery fulfillments

More information about H&M's sustainability initiatives.

FB post about the collaboration.

关于我们

我们成立于 1998 年，坐落于吉隆坡的冼都，当时只有 20 名学生。如今， Dignity 是个拥有超过 1860 名学生 (2 - 19 岁) 的学习中心。

+(60) 03-4044 1397

dignity@dignityforchildren.org