Sri Lanka, Diriya Kantha Hamuwa
The Good Shepherd Sisters in Nuwara Eliya - the hill country of Sri Lanka - work with women in the villages and assist them to find markets for the products they make.
Initially the group was formed to offer women an opportunity to come together for companionship and to share about their life situations with one another. Many of the women had been very isolated and confined in their homes and they relished the opportunities offered by the group. One problem for most of the women was poverty - trying to make do on meagre financial resources. The first project they began involved the cultivation of vegetables and of strawberries for sale and this became a source of income for their families.
With the donation of three sewing machines by an NGO, the sewing centre was initiated. The women receive training in needlework and produce dolls, clothing school uniforms and items like the appliqued rooster cushion covers sold through The Trading Circle.
In the same premises the women make soap for their own domestic use and this helps cut down household costs. They also have their own canteen, a small hairdressing saloon and laundry.
The women have leadership training sessions and these have led them to form a housing project. The group is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity, an international organization dedicated to assist the poor through housing projects. The project operates on a "save and build" basis and is proving veyr successful.
The project has proved highly supportive to the women participants who have grown in confidence and are developing their management skills both in the enterprises themselves and in their homes.
Here is a selection of their products
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