Educate a Woman

I have had the pleasure of sitting across from our business manager, Patience, while she does the annual interviews of all of the women in our network. It is amazing to hear the stories, their triumphs and their dreams. Everything from “thanks to the orders from last year, I was able to afford my wedding” to one woman who stated with a very proud smile “I even give loans to my husband!” This is what makes being away from home and my loved ones worth it.

The stories keep rolling in:
“I am paying for my moms hospital bills”
“I am sending my 3 children to school and supporting my sister”
“I bought my first car”
“I put a down-payment on land”
“I have started my own business”
“I have finished building my house”

It is amazing the accomplishments that having steady work can afford! The women in our network amaze me. Their determination is remarkable. Many of these women batik and sew with children bound to their backs and work tirelessly not for themselves alone, but so that they can hire or train more women. They see their success and do not hoard it but try to spread it as broadly as they can. From what I can see, the theory “educate a man, you educate (empower) one…educate a women, you educate (empower) many”, holds true. I am proud to be a part of an endeavor that seeks to educate women and dignify them through sustainable work. The success of each of these women is completely a testament to their own work ethic; I have nothing to with that. However, I am happy to be able to help create the crack in the glass ceiling that has kept poverty so ubiquitous; just a small crack, but one that some of these women are widening and slipping through to the other side.