Life Lessons with Dr. Deb Waterbury, Reap What You Sew documentary producer

Life Lessons presents Dr. Deb Waterbury. Her film documentary entitled “Reap What You Sew” was given the Award of Recognition at the 2019 IndieFEST Film Festival last week.  Filmed exclusively on location in Malawi and Mozambique last year, “Reap What You Sew” chronicles the lives of several former graduates of a tailoring school founded by author and speaker, Dr. Deb Waterbury. In the two years since the school began, over 90% of the graduates have started their own businesses, some opening bank accounts for the first time in their lives. Dr. Waterbury says the documentary is an accurate portrayal of the impoverishment in these countries. “Malawi is one of the poorest nations in the world, and the women there are often destitute,” says Waterbury. “These women receive no education and are often widowed due to AIDS. There are no department stores in the country so you have to buy clothes from tailors, making this the perfect skill for women to learn and pass on to their children. Elizabeth, one of our students from last semester opened up her own storefront in her village and called it ‘Thank You Jesus Tailoring Shop’. The transformation in her life has been remarkable and is one of the highlights of the film.” The students at the Reap What You Sew school attend a six-month program and receive a sewing machine and supplies free of charge, as well as accounting and bookkeeping training. Students are required to pay 500 kwacha (about .70 cents per month) so they are personally invested, and they must maintain an 85% attendance record to stay in the program. Most of the school’s expenses— tuition, teacher salaries, sewing machines, fabric, and other necessities— are covered by tax-deductible donations from individuals and companies. Dr. Waterbury says that they have a long waiting list of women.