Sharing some new pics from Shoshana sewing project, Shalem nagar, Narasaraopet

New group of women at the sewing project - Narasaraopet. The regular instructor Mrs. Santhamma had an eye surgery so our new sewing instructor Mrs. Kalyani  from Ravipadu area took over the project for a while. Santhamma has been working for Shoshana from the year 2007. Even though she is over 70 yrs of age, she still likes to help more needy women in her area.

These women are still at the beginning stages of their sewing class. I keep you updated about these women in my coming posts.

Thanks to all the donors who are helping  these women in getting an education.

 

ON BEHALF OF  THE SHOSHANA FAMILY, I WISH ALL THE FRIENDS AND 

        SUPPORTERS OF SHOSHANA A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR. 

        WISHING YOU BLESSINGS AND PROSPERITY IN 2025.

 

 

Story of one of the beneficiaries from Shoshana Sewing Centre,Gamela Bazar area, Vijayawada.

Ø    My name is M.Kavitha. I am 25 yrs old. I am married and have two daughters. My parents died when I was very young. I was begging on roads and my neighbours supported me to some extent. After I got married, I was living with my husband at Gamela Bazar area, Vijayawada where some of the waste pickers reside. After few years of my marriage, my husband also left me. I was left alone with my two kids. I was working as a waste picker and also begging for food sometimes to feed my family. My two small kids come along with me for begging. Since we live in slums in an atrocious situation, society mostly treats us as untouchables. No tailor likes to stitch clothes for us.

 

When Shoshana offered us a free sewing class, I was very happy to utilize the opportunity. I was in the very first group. After completion of the course Shoshana provided us with  sewing machines. So far no outsiders come to our area to give us work but at least we could stitch clothes for our ourselves as well as our children. This way we could save some money on stitching charges. Also every now and then I am stitching clothes for my fellow rag pickers . In future I hope I would be able to take this as a career. I started sending my kids to a Government school. All thanks to the donors who came all the way to our area, helped us in learning a skill which could help us earn a living. 

 Story of one of the beneficiaries of Shoshana sewing centre - Gannavaram.

Ø              My name is Rebeca Rani. I was a student at Shoshana sewing centre Gannavaram. I come                from a tribal backward community. I was in the very first group of women who completed                    the tailoring course  in the year 2023.  I am married and I have two children. Coming to my                    family situation –

My husband is a waste picker and sewage cleaning worker. He is very irresponsible and not taking care of my family needs. Most of the time he is drunk and out of work. My health is also not well so I couldn’t go out for work as a daily worker. I couldn’t feed my children properly as well as send them to school.

Knowing my situation, Shoshana gave me an opportunity to join the free sewing class.  After finishing the class, they provided me with a sewing machine as well as the necessary equipment to start my own shop.   

With their encouragement, I started a tailoring shop in my village called Indupalli.  Government provided me with a temporary shelter to set up the shop. It is almost a year now working as a tailor. I am very happy to be financially independent and to be able to support my family and to give my children a better life. All this is possible because of Shoshana and Martha Madam I thank all the donors who are supporting many women like me to have a better life.

 

Want to share with you all the testimony of one of the beneficiaries of Shoshana sewing centre - Giripuram, Vijayawada.

Ø  My name is Martha. 28yrs old. I am a school dropout. I am married and I have two daughters. My husband was an auto driver. He was an alcoholic and was not taking care of the family responsibilities. I use to work as a domestic helper. My children are still small kids and I couldn’t leave them alone and go to work.

 Because of his bad habits, my husband got paralyzed and is bedridden. All the family burdens fell on me. Besides that, I had to take care of my husband’s medical expenses which is extremely difficult for me. I was depressed and even thought of ending my life.

In this situation Ms. Hemima, instructor at Shoshana sewing centre, Giripuram, Vijayawada heard my story and encouraged me to join the sewing class. With her support I was able to finish the class and Shoshana provided me with a sewing machine to start working immediately after finishing the tailoring course.

 I opened my own shop at home and started working. Slowly my income started growing. I am able to earn 300 to 500 rupees per day depending on my orders. Since I am working at home it is convenient for me to take care of my kids as well as attend my husband.

My children started going to school and I am able to give them a decent life.

 

All thanks to my instructor Ms. Hemima and Martha Madam for providing me with an opportunity to change my distressed life into a more self-reliant and meaning ful life. Whole hearted thanks to all the donors of Shoshana for helping many needy women like me.

 

 NEW SEWING PROJECT AT RAAVIPADU, NARASARAOPET

Happy to start a new Sewing project at Raavi padu, Narasaraopet. One more addition to our Shoshana family. We have our medical centre in this area for the last eight years giving first aid help to all the needy people.  Now we have both the Medical and Sewing projects in the same area.

Many women have been asking for a sewing class for the last couple of years. Finally it is possible for us to start a sewing class. Majority of the women come from backward communities having an agricultural background. This would be an alternate earning source for them besides their regular work. Our aim is to give them a self reliant and a better future.

Sharing some of the pictures from the first day of the sewing class:

I would like to share some more pics of these ladies in my upcoming blogs.

 

CDS - Shoshana sewing project - Pedanandipadu

Sharing some pics from Pedanandipadu sewing project - Guntur district

Twelve girls - Five from Anaparru village and Seven from Pedanandipadu village. Most of the women are married and from agricultural backgrounds. Some are housewives and some are daily workers in fields.

Both the groups started their stitching classes in the months of September and October-2024 

They will finish the tailoring course in a period of  minimum  nine months.

After finishing the class they will be given equipment assistance to start their own work.

Besides running free training classes for the women the instructor Mrs. Sivakumari has a tailoring shop where she gives employment to the former students.