The idea caught on...here is another wall display

Sari Bari Web Launch OFFICIAL!!

The Sari Bari website officially launched today! Check it out! In six months you will be able to purchase sari bari products on the web!!

please visit www.saribari.com

Thanks for your continued prayers and support of our ladies on the road to freedom!

Snippets of life at Sari Bari

Photos Courtesy of Courtney Steever, amazing photogapher and friend of Sari Bari

Sari Blanket Display idea!!

love this idea...you can do it too!!

Someone cool who owns a Sari Blanket!

It's official

Sari Bari has new cloth tags and name tags for the blankets!! this i a long time coming and a big sign of progress!

New shipment of blankets

if you want a blanket you better email melinda quick...she just sold 30 in day and she only has 30 more!! So COME AND GET EM!! We love that you love the blankets and our ladies!! The next batch will not get there till the end of june!

More sari bags for your review

we are going to start making bags and will try to have them ready for sale in june 2007. we are going to choose three styles and see how those sell before exanding much futher. probably 2 short handled bags and one long handled bags. we will probably name the bags after the ladies for instance "the basanti". let us know what you think of these.

the colors of sari bari

the power of a paycheck

yesterday was the first of the month...payday for sari bari. And the end of the first month of our 7 ladies in training. they got their first paycheck...or really just their first training supplement. And their response was suprising to me and so beautiful. each one of them had a similar reponse...pride! Good pride...that kind that reminds you that are valuable and can do something to make a difference in your own circumstance. They knew from a simple paycheck that their work has value, that they have value. and while we know their value is not in their ability to work...it is step in the right direction for these women to be empowered. for most of them this was their first payday ever from a real job...their words not mine. one lady said from my own trouble i earned this money. i wanted to cry. i am sold out on giving people jobs as a means for empowerment. a job does what a hand out can not...it gives hope and belief in self. these new ladies are so amazing and i am so so proud of them!!

Sari Bari Bag Samples

Tell us which one you like...tell us if you have an idea of something you would like us to do. we would love your feedback. I just made three more so i will post them next week. the ladies at sari bari like the green and purple ones the best.

Gettin ready for our party

We decorated Sari Bari to the max in preparation for our one year birthday. Gita (trainer) did a great job making the place look amazing!!

Sari Bari Picnic in Bakkali

We took our original three ladies from our first unit and their families on an overnight at the beach. It was our one year celebration and picnic for the these ladies who have walked in freedom for the last year. it was an amazing two days!!

Training of 7 new ladies started on the 1st

here is some really great news. we have 7 new ladies at sari bari for training. it is really exciting. yesterday was so great. we played the knot game and basically tied ourselves in a human knot and had to get out of it with team work. i told that i can not make my life go along its proper course if i try to do everything on my own...i have to God and some good friends to make the road easier and the burden lighter. it ended up being a great object lesson because the knot tooks us at least 20 minutes to unravel from...there were lots of missteps and hard parts but together with a little outside direction from upendra we got untied and gave ourselves a standing ovation at the end. all the ladies started on their own mini blankets and we right now working on making straight lines and small stictches as we move forward we get into measuring etc. we ended the day with a birthday party--for a freedom/new life party for all the new ladies. we had cake and coke and a good time. the original sari bari ladies shared with the new ladies about what the birthday party meant and what a huge party we are going to have on the 20th which is their one year freedom anniversary and the 1 year birthday of sari bari!! it was a amazing, so good, terrific day.

Sari Bari's inspiration from the villages

the colors of my Kolkata

Starting with something new...

We have set the date to start a new training at Sari Bari for February 1st. We have been interviewing and meeting with ladies and will continue to do so up until January 22nd. Then we will have a few meeting to familiarize the ladies with what we do and why we do it.

The time will be great for us as we plan the curriculum and things ready. Training will be over a six month period with most of the literacy, math, and emotional development happening the first 3 months.

We are hoping to keep it at 6 or 7 ladies to start and then add more later this year! We are sooooo excited about seeing more ladies come into a new life! A life of freedom!

Do you wanna buy one of these beauties?

Hey friends- We are making blankets like crazy here in kolkata and will be sending about 60 this month to the states so if you are interested please email melinda snader and she will contact you when the blankets arrive. her email is melinda.snader@wordmadeflesh.com

we are getting started on making doubles this month--that means single bed side size with hopes for all bed sizes with in the next couple of months.

if you have suggestions or ideas for other products please let melinda know and she will pass those ideas on to us here!!

We are still making beautiful blankets!