A Tailor-Made Vocation

By Rima Parker

Matthew Marakunyo is 19 years old and not able to hear any of the things that we take for granted, as he is deaf. Matthew is a student at the Ibadan School for the Deaf, which he began attending 11 years ago.
Since Matthew’s father is a tailor, Matthew had learned the basics of sewing when he was 12 years old. For the past two years, Matthew has been a part of our Family Care course at his school, where he receives free vocational training as a tailor. He has learned how to make clothes for himself, as well as children's clothes which are distributed to families in the local area.

Why children’s clothes?

Since 1999, Family Care Association Nigeria has conducted Vocational Training Courses training handicapped youngsters for future roles. The goal is to help these kids become self-sufficient, and recognized as valued members of society. And the same principle applies to their institutions as well. Instead of gathering an increasingly-greater number of needy institutions and orphanages under our wing that become reliant on our continued assistance each month, our efforts are focused on enabling each of the centers to become self sufficient.

Matthew’s tailoring course allows him to make his own clothes as well as provide clothing that is marketed in the area.


Matthew’s goals are to learn as much as he can about tailoring and then to attend university.


Rima Parker is a Project Manager of Family Care Association Nigeria, a FCF Project in Lagos, Nigeria.