Dear Lulu Tree Family — we asked our partners in north and south India if they would share stories from the tailoring centers of the mothers who are being trained so they can care for their families. Following are those stories, straight from the source. Be blessed as you read them, and please, would you keep them in your prayers?

Stories from the North …

Hello I’m Prem, and this is my experience at the tailoring school. Before joining the tailoring school, almost all of my time was spent inside my house taking care of home, children and cattle. Joining the tailoring class has given me a wonderful opportunity to learn a new skill along with other young women and girls. I have a lot of fun and laughter while attending the classes, and it also gives me a chance to impart wisdom I’ve gained from my own experiences towards my fellow classmates. Now after finishing the course at the center, I have started working as a teacher at the center, and this has given me immense satisfaction, a source of revenue and a sense of accomplishment. It motivates me to look forward to every single day.

Hello my name is Kushi. I have been attending the tailoring school for a few months now and I have learned a lot of things since joining the school. Earlier I used to spend most of my time at home doing nothing, but now having a school near my house has given me a chance to do something productive in my free time and pick an employment skill. Also, we have a great time in the class helping each other and learning from each other.

Hello my name is Shanti, and I am really happy that a tailoring school was established in my village. I am really surprised, and at the same time happy, that an elderly person has come from a place so far to start a school in our village to educate and empower the women and girls in my village. I have been attending classes for a year now, and during the first six months I completed my basic course. However, to further improve my skills and to learn to make new garments, I continued for another six months, and now I’m able to sew clothes for clients and make some financial contributions for myself and my family.

 

(My teacher) constantly encourages me to improve my skills and learn new things. She also advises me on how to better manage my finances and also how to better run the family. Since the last couple of weeks she’s been training me to become a tailoring teacher so I can share the things I have picked up with other women and girls from my village, and also to grow economically in the process. I’m looking forward to improving the living conditions and granting opportunities for other women in my community, just like how my life has been changed.

 

I have been really blessed by the tailoring school since it has given me growth and purpose in life. I am so thankful and happy for the space.

Stories from the South

Chitti and her husband have two children.

Her husband is working as a security guard. It was very hard for them to run the house with what the husband earns. The family suffered a lot. She also wanted to work and support her husband for the survival and smooth running of the family. At this time, a tailoring training centre near their house opened. She has joined in the centre for training and completed the 10 months course. She came out with a skill in her hand.

She started working as a hired worker, sewing clothes of ladies. She also prepared dresses for her children. She started to earn some income and supported her husband to run the house. Now their family is living happily with what they earn.

Their family is very thankful for this opportunity. Now that God has supplied her with a sewing machine through The Lulu Tree, she is able to help provide for her family.

Maria belongs to the Dalit community and their family is very poor. She has 2 children. Her husband is working as a delivery boy. Maria finds it very hard to run the house. She cannot go out and work because she has no qualification. They suffered a lot.

A tailoring training centre opened near their house. She has joined in the centre for training and completed the 10 month course. She came out with a skill in her hand. She started working as a hired worker, sewing clothes of ladies. She also prepared dresses for her children. She started to earn some income. Now their family is living happily with what they earn.

Their family is very much thankful to God and to The Lulu Tree for providing her with the training classes and with a sewing machine.

Kovvari and her family belong to the Dalit community and are very poor.

Her husband works as a laborer on a daily wage basis. He delivers water cans to houses for a very small salary. His wife could not go  to work because of less education and physically weakness, and so she remained as a housewife. But they could not run the family with the small income of her husband. The family suffered a lot for their survival.

At this time a tailoring training centre opened near their house. She has joined in the centre for training and completed the 10 months course. She came out with a skill in her hand. She started working as a hired worker, sewing clothes of ladies. She also prepared dresses for her children. She started to earn some income and supported her husband to run the house. Now their family is living happily with what they earn.

Their family is very much thankful to God and to The Lulu Tree for supplying the tailoring classes and a sewing machine.

Prayer Points

• More women and girls should come join the school in all three villages and get trained. Especially for an increased number of married women to avail this opportunity.
• One of the students has a 4 year old granddaughter that suffers from a medical condition where she’s unable to walk and speak properly. We ask for her healing.
• For the students who have completed the course to be able to work at the school itself, where they would be able to receive multiple orders from customers, so that they are provided with a steady source of income.
• For the protection of God over all the staff involved in it, to keep them safe in their coming and going, and to remain in good health.
• For opportunities to open for the school to partner with other businesses so as to establish a full fledged production center where the scale of work, empowerment and education is increased.
• To find favor in the eyes of village residents and authorities so that they support the work we do and wish for the well being of it.