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independence

Cambodia Femmes des rizières

Volunteering in Cambodia for Femmes des Rizières – a very personal report by Gabrielle Friedmann

A history about fashion…
A history about humanitarian and humanity…
A history about loving and sharing
Briefly: A wonderful history

 

Today my five months volunteering as the first designer for the brand «Femmes des Rizières» (Woment from the paddy fields) come to an end. «Femmes des Rizières» is the brainchild of the Cambodian NGO avec in close collaboration with Swiss based WeCare-Association.

Early in July 2018 I left Paris to travel to Cambodia. Already before this adventure began I was full of ideas and thoughts, I dreamed about it and I tried to imagine how it would be ….as I am a naturally optimistic person, my head was full of idylic images which even to me did not seem very realistic. Never in my wildest dreams could I have envisioned how extraordinary and exciting this mission was going to be.

 

Upon arrival at the Safe House of the NGO avec in Cambodia I found myself in the middle of a small paradise which has become home to 34 children and 3 substitution mothers over the course of the last 10 years. A safe heaven for these children who had to live through dangerous situations, injustices and fear in their earlier lives.

Between myself and the children things clicked immediately and the five months were filled with lots of fun and laughter and many very spicy dishes were shared as well – which occasionally were a huge challenge for me.

The close contact to these kids taught me that there is something that cannot be taken away even from poor people and that is joy. Joyfulness cannot be bought and you cannot loose it either. It might get out of sight occasionally but is always lingering somewhere close, somewhere inside the person.

Moreover, I am convinced that one of the main reasons for the SAFE House of the NGO avec being such a magic place is that upon arrival you perceive above all this joyfulness.

Then. My adventure as woman from the paddy fields…

In the beginning there were the tailors, the name of the brand, the logo and more goodwill than I had every seen before.

The tailors, who above and foremost are women from the paddy fields, have an incredible power and inspiring force. They are young, beautiful and often have at least two young children and they are fighting like lionesses about their survival now and never loose their smile when thinking about tomorrow.

Together we have developed a collection of a total of 27 models with 2 or 3 color variations for each model. An incredible achievement ! Every time I think about this collection I am overwhelmed by joy.

I would like to tell my former colleagues: Women from the paddy fields, you are beautiful and like Apsaras, those goddesses of feminity with their incredible force and their glow. I would like to thank you four for these five intense months: We have been working a lot but we also had a lot of fun and I just loved it !

Of course I hope, that this project will be successful and able to achieve its goal to provide young Khmer women with a work that is fairly remunerated and they can rely on. Those women really deserve it !

In particular, I would like to mention Susi (WeCare-Association), Theavy and Patrik (NGO AVEC), the three guardian angels of the project who were closely accompanying the mission and all people involved – and there were a lot of people ! Without the three of you the mission would not have been as extraordinary! You are witty, openminded, patient and interesting – I have to stop here as Patrik has told me often that too many compliments are boring😉. I consider myself very lucky having met the three of you and above all that I have been given the opportunity to participate in the development of this project.

Last but not least I would like to thank all those wonderful people I met over the last five months. I am leaving very proud of all our joint efforts and achievements. It was a wonderful story and I am completely overwhelmed.

Cambodia Education Empowerment Femmes des rizières

Femmes des rizières – A typical day in the life of Sophan

As we are about to launch the social label Femmes des rizières pretty soon, we would like to take the opportunity to get to know those Femmes des Rizières – the women of the rice fields, whom we had in mind when creating the brand name.
Sophan is a young Cambodian woman 25 years of age. She has been living in the Safe House since 2010 together with her two younger sisters. They share a room with 14 other girls and on a typical day she gets up between 05:00 and 05:30 o’clock as they have to do some homework with the younger children before they go to school. Sophan graduated from high school 4 years ago and right now she is already in her third year as a student at the university of Battambang with her major being management. She also benefits from the computer courses offered in the Safe House and is attending them in the morning and in the afternoon. Moreover, she teaches English at the Safe House to the younger children and she enjoys this a lot. During her lessons she tries to teach the children in a playful way and so they sing, dance and also play games – in English! On the weekends she has to continue her English studies at least for two hours. In her spare time she likes to ride the bike to the rice fields together with her friends from the Safe House or to just hang out with her friends. She is a very talented photographer and an avid reader. She also likes to play Volleyball. Her younger sister is 22 years old and is also already studying at the university with her major being English. She has also taken up teaching English at the Safe House. Her youngest sister, who is a little bit shy, is still in high school and she loves drawing and dancing. They have changed a lot since they arrived at the Safe House a couple of years ago and they have turned into very lovely, intelligent and well educated young women who are striving towards a bright future.

Cambodia Education Empowerment Safe House

Tailors’ Workshops

On November 16th, 2017, the graduation ceremony for the tailors took place already for the third time. A total of 15 graduates proudly accepted their diplomas which were handed over by their teachers together with Theavy Bun.

The girls proudly accepted their diplomas – some of them very timidly.

Following the ceremony they presented themselves in their graduation works, i.e. their beautiful yellow and orange dresses.

Thanks to Theavy who has undertaken a major effort, 10 out of the total 15 graduates have found a job. One girl will open up her own tailor’s shop and two will continue their education. Two young women have to take care of their respective families. Bravo Theavy!!! The project was completely financed by Fondation Le Solstice – an impressive project!

Empowerment Uncategorized

Day of the African Child

On the occasion of the Day of the African Child, we would like to present to you a very successful project for empowerment.

Tanzania’s total population of 52.5 m has an illiteracy rate of almost 30%, i.e. 5.1 m women and 3.5 m men over the age of 15 are unable to read or write !
In comparison, Kenya’s and Cambodia’s illiteracy rates are 22% and 23% respectively.
Since 2015 there is a hospitality school in Tanzania which is financed by the Swiss More- Than -A- Drop Foundation and managed by a dear friend.

Project idea

Empowerment of young and poor women : From poverty to economic and social independence.
The current basic education system in Tanzania produces a very high dropout rate due to discrimination especially against girls. Higher education is almost impossible, in particular for adolescent girls from a poor background. They are either forced into marriages and give birth to children at a young age or have to work as prostitutes. Their children face a similar destiny…

The hospitality business in the Moshi (departure village to access the Kilimanjaro mountain) area is important and it is growing. Thus, there is a growing demand for qualified employees in the hospitality industry. The hospitality school of the More-Than-A-Drop -Foundation significantly improves the vocational training on offer in the Moshi area.

B&B der Hotelfachschule More Than A Drop in Moshi, Tansania

Bed&Breakfast in Moshi

Moreover, the hospitality school runs a Bed & Breakfast, which can be highly recommended as it is managed with extreme attention to detail and offers a small, vegetarian restaurant.

Blick auf das Restaurant der Hotelfachschule More Than A Drop in Moshi, Tansania

Charming, vegetarian restaurant

Realisation

The hospitality school founded in 2015 offers up to 35 young women, aged 18 to 21, the possibility to attend an innovative hospitality school. Consequently, this 12-months-vocational training gives motivated and poverty stricken young women access to the job market.

The first year started in 2015. The following subjects are being taught

  • English (12 hours per week)
  • Cooking and service (15 hours per week)
  • Housekeeping (10 hours per week)
  • Sports – gardening (5 hours per week)
  • Soft skills (empowerment, self-control, motivation)

They can put their theoretical knowledge into practice right away in the Bed & Breakfast with 10 rooms and a restaurant for 30 guests.

Zwei Kochschülerinnen vor der Tafel mit dem Rezept

Training concept

The concept requires that students perform and are motivated. Consequently, they are being very closely monitored. Students have to be motivated, discipined and willing to assume responsibility. These demands can be very challenging for these the students, in particular when considering the following facts:

  • All students are school drop-outs
  • They last attended school 3 to 6 years ago
  • They never learned how to study
  • They never had to do any homework

Class of 2016

In September 2016, the first graduation took place. 30 students successfully finished the vocational training’s program. 25 students found a job and 5 students have presented their CV.

Abschlussklasse 2016

 

More-Than-A-Drop is looking for volunteers

More-Than-A-Drop-Foundation is looking for volunteers for this interesting and barnstorming project with the very ambitious goals to obtain financial independence for the project and to find jobs for as many students as possible.

They are looking for volunteers to ensure the achievement of the goals. Volunteers are needed to cover the following activities

  • Coordination Switzerland
    • PR – activities
    • Recruiting of volunteers
    • Fundraising
  • Social Media Specialists for the marketing of the rooms and the restaurant
  • Trained and experienced chief/restaurant experts to enlarge the culinary offer

Contact for volunteers

Nicola Spring (n.spring@morethanadrop.org)

 

Cambodia Empowerment Safe House

Sewing Machine Day

This day honors the invention of the sewing machine. The sewing machine took the labor out of hand sewing. The first working sewing machine for shoemakers was conceived in 1790 by the Englishman Thomas Saint who filed a patent for his invention. Even though his patent was considered very progressive, his construction plans were never transformed into a sewing machine.
Only in 1874, William Newton Wilson reconstructed a sewing machine based on Saint’s plans for the London Science Museum. The first machine was made entirely from wood.
In Battambang sewing machines are of significant value as they can provide a potential source of income. The current class of tailors at the Safe House’s vocational training is already in their third year! This year, 18 girls are attending the vocational training to become tailors which takes one year to complete. Thanks to this vocational training a lot of girls have already found a job. Moreover, the Safe House has already paid for three tailors’ workshops, i.e. a sewing machine, mirror, fabric and haberdashery, to enable the girls to work autonomously in their home villages.

Right now, the Safe House owns 17 sewing machines for the vocational training and 5 sewing machines for the small production.

Pattern drawing has to be learned and practised. This skill is an integral part of the vocational training for a tailor and students also have to learn to work with precision.

Africa Empowerment Farm in Africa Kenya

World Farming Day

World Farming Day is a day established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to recognise the importance of milk as a global food. It has been observed since 2000 when on the occasion of the world Expo in Hannover it was proposed for the first time. The day is intended to provide an opportunity to draw attention to activities that are connected with the farming sector.

Therefore, today we also think about the Masai population of Olpirikata who donated 18 hectares of land to the farm project which will be constructed in summer 2017. Members of the agricultural faculty of the University of Bologna have already established the ideal plants based on soil samples brought to them in December 2016. To learn more about the project…

For a more in-depth view on the Masais’ daily lives ….