Back from Kondamangalam, India

I'm back!  Kondamangalam is a small rural village outside of Chennai in southern India.  While there, I stayed at a local orphanage named Little Flock.  The children are wonderful and I did get to spend some time with them too, but the purpose of the trip was to teach jewelry making skills to women that needed a skill to be able to make money to care for their family. 

The trip was incredible. A true success. 10 women were taught how to make jewelry. They learned the following skills:  ~ how to string necklaces and bracelets ~ how to do a simple loop of wire ~ how to make wrapped loops of wire (both of the above are useful in making earrings, necklaces, bracelets and a host of other things ~ the Russian Spiral stitch ~ a Standard Spiral stitch and how to change up the beads for many different looks ~ Right Angle Weave stitch and how to embellish it ~ some Chain Maille ~ how to combine wire, beads and metal components to create beautiful jewelry ~ how to bead on fabric to create intricate designs and how to follow any design already on fabric with the appropriate beads ~ and finally, how to create beautiful chandelier earrings. All the women did very well, and as expected some women identified a favorite method for making jewelry. Chitra enjoys stringing because she can make a complete set of jewelry. Nirmala likes the fabric beading because she can see the possibilities available to her. Parimala turned out to be my star student. She likes it all, but really likes bead weaving best because she can earn more money for such designs. She is a great teacher too!

The GoFundMe site I posted this initial return report to doesn't let me show all the pictures, so I decided to move that posting here and add some more.  :0)

Thanks to all who donated. Your contributions made a real difference in the lives of these women. Parimala traveled 4 hours to get to the village where I taught and she stayed for 5 days. She told me as she left (in very broken English) that her life had been changed. I later learned that she was able to earn in our 5 days together what would have taken her 6 weeks to earn working in the quarry. I can't even imagine such back breaking work. But she doesn't have to work there anymore. These women quickly became so very special to me. Please keep them in your prayers that their businesses would be successful. Their names are: Chitra, Leena, Sumati, Ramani, Nirmala, Parimala, Victoria, Manika, Nagata, and Santanalakshmi. Friends of mine helped contribute money towards the needed supplies for each of the women to be able to start a micro business.

Their jewelry is available for sale here in the US. If you would like to buy any of it, please send me an email and I will put you in touch with the right folks. The money earned from the sales here in the US will go to fund their small businesses by buying additional beads and supplies for them to continue with their craft. Additionally it will provide the money for micro loans for them to be able to purchase the tools they currently borrow.

Lastly, I want to thank the helpers I had for the classes:  Shelley, Giuletta, Cindy and Lizzie - none of whom knew how to make jewelry, but graciously and eagerly offered their help.  Please enjoy the pictures.

Me shopping for beads at a store in Chennai, India



Working with Sumati and Ramani.



Teaching Parimala and her daughter Rajeswari.



Ramani masters stringing.

Leena shows off her handicraft while Sumati finishes up.



Stringing turned out to be Chitra's favorite.




Nagata finishes wire wrapped loops for earrings.




Showing Chitra and Nirmala how to make simple loops.




Victoria excels in chain maille.




The ladies at work on their new craft.



Me and Shelley.  Shelley was one of the wonderful ladies to help me during the lessons.



Sumati finishes the "Chain-de-lier" earrings with Swarovski crystals.



Parimala teaches Lizzie bead emboidery.  Lizzie was another of my helpers. 



The ladies show off their bead emboidery skill.




Chitra and Ramani happy with their beadwork and wire earrings.




Parimala shows off the wire/beadwork earrings.




Showing the ladies the spiral stitch.




Spiral stitch lesson.




Parimala masters spiral stitch and the possible variations.




Victoria masters the Russian Spiral stitch.




Manika masters a nice and tight Russian Spiral bracelet.




Everything Parimala made in her 5 days with me and the money she made (1,650 rupies).




Praying for Parimala.



Parimala shows off her new talent.  Daughter Rajeswari to the left proud of her mom.



Showing the young girls at Little Flock how to make a bookmark with a half hitch knot.





Showing the ladies all the crystals we brought them. 




The ladies working and having fun.  Giuletta is in the upper left helping the ladies.




Matching up beads to crystals.




Chitra shows off a set of jewelry.




Ramani shows off a set of jewelry.




Nirmala shows off a set of jewelry.




Sumati receives her kit to start her own jewelry business.




The graduating class of new jewelry makers (two missing from photo - Parimala and Nagata). From left to right - back row: Nirmala, Ramani, Chitra, me, Santanalakshmi, Sumati and Victoria. Front row: Manika, Leena.

 Blessings and beads,
Karen