Expanding Opportunities in 2025 – and Looking Ahead to the New Year

January is the month of new beginnings, and the same is true for our training courses for unemployed and economically inactive women. Below are some reflections from women who took part in our December courses, along with what participants in the Macherio workshop (“Together, to mend the bonds of community”) are hoping for in 2026.

Over 1,400 Hours of Training in 2026

2025 was a major year for training. We rapidly grew from 900 hours in 2024 to over 1,400 hours, reaching more than 90 women. How did we make this happen? A key factor was the expansion of our spaces. In addition to our first workshop on Viale Lazio (shared with CIF Metropolitano di Milano), we strengthened our Ascanio Sforza location in collaboration with Associazione Donna & Madre. We also opened the Macherio workshop in partnership with La Grade Casa. With multiple locations, we were able to run multiple courses at the same time. Meanwhile, our Bezzecca space (developed with Cena dell’Amicizia ODV) has hosted children’s workshops and tailoring sessions open to the wider community since October, thanks to the support of Municipio 4. All of this has been made possible through our dedicated professionals, as well as the involvement of new team members, like Teclam who completed the Restart Professional Tailoring Course and later joined our teaching team.

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More Than Just a Tailoring Course

Feedback from participants in our training programs has been incredibly positive. “In a space where knowledge and creativity meet, something magical and valuable is bound to happen. This workshop has been a place of growth and a doorway to opportunities,” shared one woman from the December course. These programs aren’t only about learning tailoring skills. As one participant explained, the workshop also became a place to learn Italian: “This was the first tailoring course I’ve ever taken, and I learned so much, for example, how to sew an invisible zipper. I also improved my Italian a lot!” Our tailoring courses are, of course, a way to learn how to use a sewing machine and create your first pieces, but they’re also about sharing space, learning, and community with other women.

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The Macherio Workshop: Women's Dreams for 2026

Most courses that wrapped up in late 2025 will begin again soon. The program at our Macherio workshop, in the province of Monza and Brianza, is already back in session. It restarted right at the beginning of January. The Macherio program is part of the project “Together, to mend the bonds of community,” developed with La Grande Casa, with support from Fondazione Cariplo and Fondazione della Comunità di Monza e Brianza. Alongside the four women who were already involved at the end of the year, two more have joined, and we asked them about their hopes for 2026. “I’m starting the course in 2026, and I hope to learn new things through this tailoring journey, contribute to the group, and maybe even develop some products of my own,” Alice told us. Cristina added: “I’d really like to learn how to use sewing machines, the overlock machine, and other technical skills. I hope to gain the abilities I need to bring my projects to life.” Ilaria, the instructor, “hope[s] the Macherio tailoring workshop becomes a positive point of reference for many people. [Her] wish is that it grows in its ability to raise awareness around the environment and sustainability.”

We hope every woman who took part in the 2025 courses has the chance to keep going and make their dreams real, and we can’t wait to meet the new participants in the year ahead!