From being taught to being teachers

The Samunnat women teaching a group how to sew reusable pads.

A couple of years ago, Janice Laurent, a dear Australian friend of the Samunnat women, travelled to Nepal (twice) to share her sewing skills. She taught the group, who were learning about tailoring, how to sew gorgeous bags, clothing items, reusable nappies and reusable pads. Janice taught them with great patience and persistence and they became very confident. In the early stages of the COVID lockdown, some of these women returned to smaller villages and set up some small tailoring businesses. Others who had nowhere safe to go stayed at Samunnat and kept practising their skills and selling what they could.

Recently, some people from a district who had heard about their skills asked them to come and teach women who were in a similar situation. And they were paying our Samunnat women!! These are women who, not that long ago, were living in fear for their lives and of the future. Thy were feeling hopeless and scared but now, armed with skills, confidence, support and a desire to help others like them, they have the confidence to face a classroom full of eager students and they were praised for their gentle, thoughtful, thorough teaching.

Kopila kept saying “you can hardly imagine Didi…” Knowing the places these women were in when they arrived at when they came to Samunnat and seeing where they are now brings us, here at Samunnat, great joy.

Maiya, Manita and Sunita off to attend the graduation of their sewing students.