Tools for Self Reliance

Jack Hamilton of Forge Lodge allotment informed me at the recent meeting with Idverde that he is a member of Tools For Self-Reliance Sutton Group of volunteers with different engineering backgrounds who can dismantle and refurbish just about any tool that comes their way.

Tools for Self Reliance (TfSR) helps people in Central Africa build sustainable livelihoods by providing them with tools along with technical, business and life skills training.

When they have completed training, they receive the tools, enabling them to generate an income to look after themselves and their families, ensuring a culture of self reliance, not dependency.

Groups of volunteers around the UK work to collect and refurbish donated hand tools and sewing machines which are shipped in complete kits to their partner organisations in six countries in Africa: Ghana, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Click Here for more information

The Sutton Group of volunteers meets weekly to refurbish tools and sewing machines. They then make up kits – for carpenters, plumbers, leatherworkers, blacksmiths, bicycle repairers, sewing etc.

Last year they supplied around 1000 tools, over 100 sewing machines and 27 boxes of haberdashery, and are always happy to receive donations of tools, sewing machines and haberdashery, old and new hand tools. These can be dropped off either to their workshop which is located at the end of Honeywood Walk Carshalton and is open onon Tuesday and Thursday between 10am and 2pm

There are sometimes donated tools, sewing machines and other items which haven’t been requested, or which are in some way unsuitable or surplus to requirements.

Garden tools are made locally in Africa to different designs from the UK. Thus if you have now allotmenteers who need cheap gardening tools they can be purchased from the workshop, for a small donation.

All funds that are generated from the sale of tools goes to TfSR HQ after the Sutton Group have met their running expenses.