Training Kicks-off!
Monday marked the first full day of our training. Last Friday was more of an orientation to see where the women were in their skills, and to establish some grounds rules. We also didn't get a whole lot done because the machines were not in proper working order and we still needed to get power to them in our space. As things go 4 out of the 8 only showed up on Friday. According to some strange Indian/Hindu culture people don't like to start things on a Friday. One of the 4 women that was missing was ill so we decided to visit her on Sunday. Apparently she was having a allergic reaction in her feet so she couldn't walk. We visited her home and prayed for her healing. Calvina had an opportunity to photograph her cooking a meal for her family. By Dalit standards, her home was typical. It was a building made out of asbestos sheeting with two rooms. One for the family to sleep and one for her to cook. Her stove consisted of 4 bricks that she lay on top of a concret top and a place to add kindling. Her sons brought in long-logs that served as fuel for the fire. These sticks protruded out of the fire. A hole at the top of her kitchen served as mere ventilation to the smoke. There was no cutting board. Just her knife and her hands to cut up the vegetables that went into her curry. Her boys ran to the nearby well to fetch her some water to wash the vegetables. She then added curry powder, garam masala, turmeric and other spices to the mix and let it simmer. To her this is normal and a way of life. She seems happy even though she is the sole provider of her family. Her husband needs constant medical attention due to a brain illness. Our hope is to employ her so that she can feed her families and give her boys a way to go to school.
1 Response
Leave a comment
Comments will be approved before showing up.
Moving Forward | EllieFunDay
July 21, 2015
[…] we reflect on the past few months, we’ve grieved not seeing our plans with Stitching Sparrow come to fruition. But we’ve also learned a ton and will be better […]