After moving back to the city where he grew up, Jefferson Musanda is now using his experience in design and child care to give back to children in Lynn.
A graduate of Pratt Institute with a degree in Fashion Design, he previously worked as a child care counselor as one of his first jobs.
Musanda said after returning to Lynn, he wanted to use both areas of expertise to give back and is now teaching the art of sewing to youths in the community.
“Moving back to Lynn, where I grew up, I felt it was very important to find a way to pass that on,” Musanda said.
Last year, he was approached by a Lynn City Community Council board member, who encouraged him to apply for a grant that would allow him to teach sewing classes. He started his first class last September, with around eight children attending.
Five months later, he teaches roughly two monthly classes to youths aged 8-12. On Saturday, he taught his first sewing class of 2024 to a group of 10.
In an age where many children are focused on screens and technology, Musanda said it’s nice to see them engaged in hands-on activity.
“It’s great to see that our kids are actually interested,” Musanda said. “It’s really rewarding to kind of see that kids are actually interested and doing something physical with their hands and learning.”
All of the classes are started by teaching the children the basics of a sewing machine, such as learning about its parts and how to use it properly. From there, Musanda says he will teach them various projects, including sewing techniques and how to create ruffles.
At the end of each program, which consists of 4-5 week sessions, the students have an opportunity to create a final project of their own, such as bags or other items, using what they have learned throughout the process.
He said the happiness on the children’s faces is one of the most rewarding parts of teaching sewing.
“Just having some of the kids come back and actually seeing their excitement and knowing that they’ve been practicing and that they remember a lot of the skills that I’ve taught them. That’s been probably the most rewarding thing,” Musanda said.
Musanda currently teaches out of a space located at 207 Lynnfield St. He thanked property owner Christy Satterwhite, who let him take over the space when he began classes.
The classes are open to all youths in the city. Musanda said he has ten machines to use for classes but plans on applying for more grants to help him expand the program to teach all ages.
“I’m definitely hoping to grow it a lot because I’m seeing a lot of interest in adults that want to learn as well,” Musanda said. “So I’d definitely love to expand to be able to teach teens and adults as well.”
