THE DAY FOR REPAIRING SEWINGMASCHINES = X -MAS DAY/Schooling problems

8 SEWINGMASCHINES OCCURRED IN COMPANY WITH THEIR OWNERS
Many were in need of repairing and maintainance. We had asked a sewing maschine- technichian to come and look over our maschine park. Three of the maschines were in very advanced decay in my eyes. Let's see what the man who knows will say!!


AND WE WERE SITTING WAITING...
During waiting time many discussions are going on...Kulvinder and I decided to tell Mima about the big opportunity for her daughter to get help with her schoolfees and other costs, through a swedish couple that want to help a girl to fulfill her studies up to college.This girl of 16 yrs has already reached 10th class, so she has 2 more years before college. And we know her dream is to become a teacher.BUT the mother says NO!IT IS IMPOSSIBLE! I was chocked!
This happens to many girls in this culture. The farhers are agreeing with another family as a part of any other businesslike agreement that this family will get a certain daughter to marry one of their sons.And the girl may not know it AND not even the mother may know about this agreement!
At least it's illeagel to marry before 18. But many just don't bother...
So now it's up to this becoming family-in-law to give permission for the girl to study...In this case this in-law family is not so educated, so they may not want an educated wife for their son.
WHAT IS TO BE DONE?

TODAY THE COMPUTERS ARE VERY SLOW, SO I WILL PUT SOME MORE PICTURES LATER.

UNEXPECTED VISIT WITH SURPRISE-PARTY

FAREWELL TO FRIDA!
On the 21 of December Frida returned to Sweden. So now the filming must be complete. And I miss my companion for one month.A big hug to Frida! We made a filmed stroll through the city and up to the fort.It ended in the fort entrance place where we had some orangejuice.

And then the long train to Delhi, which she will reach in 18 hours.

DOCTORS SURPRISEPARTY
The day before Cristmas the women in the village were invited to a Surprise- cake- party. And everybody was there curiously waiting.The Doctor who use to stay in Artist Hotel and who also runs a hospital and medical center in Bihar since 42 years wanted to visit us.And we could all listen to how the life circumstances are in Bihar. No roads, no electricity, not enough clean drinking water.

Misri the young Coock in Hotel Artist had made very good cakes and it was enough for all including also all curious children. Some of the women couldn't eat the cakes because of religious reasons. They don't eat eggs.

After tea and eating cakes there was possibility for consulting the Doctor, who is a skinspecialist. And many needed help with different skin deseases. The advice was often:use BORO-PLUS! It's based on natural components, no chemicals,which is the best.-"I think he has interests in that boro-plus business"- Shanti says.

Doctor had bought a favourite embroidery and he wanted to meet the lady who had made it. So Jija 1st got her best surprise of the month! 500 Rupies extra money from the Doctor.He declares that surprises are very energetic and important parts in human communications.

The day after we could see Jija in her new rosa dupatta= schal! Shining, happy!

Then this visit was over and we got many good advises from the Doctor. And we hope to meet him again before he returns to Bihar.

Next day was Xmas eve and there was a traditional x-mas party on the roof terrass of Hotel Artist. In the night I went to a Midnight Mess in S:t Paul's church. At least the generous light decorations were giving Christmas feelings.
After I got a ride back to hotel on a MC. Ice-cold at 12.30 it was, and that was the start of a heavy cold..

am

WHAT WILL MAKE GIRLS HAPPY?

UNEXPECTED MONEY TO USE TO MAKE GIRLS HAPPY

How could we know? Maybe happiness was not available for money. We asked the 22 girls in Brittas Embroideryschool to make a drawing about this. After some talking they found out what they would like to embroider.Here are some examples.The girls are between 10 and 16 years old.

4 embroideries of 22

Going for picnic

jumping with a rope

A bicycle

Flying a kite. Most often something only boys do.

After some thinking we found that now when the wintercold is coming the best gift to make girls glad would be to give each of them a warm jersey.
So we decided to add some money from the project account to be able to do this.BUT THE ENTHUSIASTIC DONOR LADY from Sweden found out to ask her nice brother, a manager in a company, about some more money...So he promised 5000 SEK. Then some of the other managers in this concern followed. So now there are 10000 extra SEK dedicated to help for girls schooling.
Off we went from the village 10 girls+ 3 ladies in one Tuc-Tuc to go to the market to choose and buy nice jerseys.

Here you can see some of the girls choosing and showing their new warm jersys.

NEW IDEAS

MAHILA BROSCHES
We started this session with a new idea which came from Kerstin Nettelblad in Skane Syd.

We used Brittas logo and made a simple drawing and every woman got a couple of designs. After one week we have nov 76 embroideries, all are different.Next step is to complete the embroideries so they are nice and Brosches-like.This work we give now to a young man who suffers from diabetes,which is very costly because the insulin must be given every day. This family we try to give help to selfhelp, by for instance giving this 20 years old boy work. How much do you think the brosches can cost in Sweden?

Here is Maya with one of the brosches.

ANOTHER BRANCH IS STARTED
Alex a designer and danser from England designs chlothes and let them be sewn here.Alex is staying 6 months every year here in Jaisalmer. Now she is interested to let our women learn how to use and care for a sewingmashine and in a longer run let them do this sewing job.
Of course all our women were interested of this...
At this occation we also gave new material for Mahilas.

Frida is popular with her camera and her nice smile.

And after a two-hours session I look like this...
More next time!...

If you want to get message about a new blog please write your e-mail in the submitbox

BACK IN JAISALMER

TO MEET AGAIN.
What a warm feeling to come back to the village,find the new roads and some new built houses.And meet all those women that I've been so close to through their embroideries and in pictures all the year. And there they are: Mima, Ottami, Radiya, who has got her first baby after many years of waiting, Mirga Barju Fooli... Six new babies on these 38 women!
Warm hugs and smiles,shy as well as open..Many individuals.

GUESTS
My granddaughter Agnes and boyfriend also visited the village.The girls are very interested in her...

Joel speaks with the boys.Their interests: cricket and ... Up to now we have few men in our documentary.Frida is there with the camera.

CIRCLETALKS
This time in Bhil Basti I want to try to create a better understanding and knowledge between the women and for us a better base for our work. So we decided to create smaller groups of women and start this attempt for better understanding.
Kulvinder writes and our new coworker Pooja translates. A warm and open athmosphere is created.Thanks to all!

We made a scheme of questions: Name, age, how many children, Husbands name, age, Work? Income, (all didn't know how much the husband earned).
Problems:Husbands who drinks,some doesn't even leave any money to the family." He comes home at midnight and we don't know each other"
Dreams: here they laugh and put the dupatta for their faces.- big nice houses with bathroom and running water.Money for private school for the children-.
Needs:money for daily life.
Whishes: often are the answers of their problems.
Interests: all are interested in Embroidery and want to continue this work. One young girl who wanted to be teacher also read books.Some likes to work with sewing-mashine.

SAMDA
Samda is a widow, we rent her yard for some of our meetings, as we decided last year to support, first the widows and women who are the most needing, that will be those with alcoholized husbands, and other that we can detect as very needing support. The circle-talks will help us to find out about this.And also how we can give help to self-help.

MEETING WITH THE SCHOOLGIRLS FAMILIES
This is in the house of the family to Maya - Kanchan, one of the four girls that we help with money for private school." Maya is brilliant her teacher says, and the other girls are also good, they are very interested in schoolwork.
Because of our visit Mayas father satyed at home this morning. He is a stoneworker, he loads the big lorries with cut stone.And now his back has been hurt, so he can not work all days.One of their sons had a MC accident, and broke his leg so he will not be able for work in one year. This man doesn't drink. "Because I'm religious" he says, starting a little preaching...The family is very poor and Patani, Mayas mother will join our embroideryclub to make some needed money.

SUNDAY IS THE DAY TO MEET SCHOOLGIRLS
So we decided to have a meeting with them today. We sent greetings to Britta-mam whom they long for very much. And we gave a little theme for embroidery: "What makes me glad- happy." They made drawings as Britta thaught them and after they got cloth and yarn to make an embroidery to send to schoolgirls in a class in Sweden, Norrkoping.Perhaps it can be an exchange of embroideries!

HERE THE GIRLS ARE WAVING TO BRITTA-MAM AND WHIS HER TO COME SOON!

FÖREDRAG -INSAMLING - FÖRSÄLJNING AV VATTENBÄRERSKOR

HOS KONSTFÖRENINGEN PÅ DROTTNING SILVIAS BARNSJUKHUS

Ganska trött efter en lång dags kringåkande med olika ärenden, landade jag i föreläsningssalen i Barnsjukhuset.I kaffedoft och småprat.
Det var ung 20 personer som skulle lyssna på mitt föredrag. Och jag kände en god energi i rummet.Det gav kraft och efter 1,5 tim bubblade det i salen av intresse.
8 Mahilas à 300 kr såldes; indiska vykort för 220 kr och i insamlingskrukan kom 531 kronor.
Vykortsförsäljning + insamling går till flickors skolgång.
TACK ALLA GENERÖSA DELTAGARE I KVÄLLEN DEN 8 NOV på DROTTNING SILVIAS BARNSJUKHUS.
Elsa
Uppdatering INSAMLING:Jan-Okt8954 SEK+ nov 531 SEK = Jan-november 9485 SEK

EMBROIDERIES ToR BOTTNA -RAJASTHAN EXHIBITION ON WHEEL

THIS IS BIRGITTA MANAGING THE EXHIBITION

It was fun to walk around and tell and sell embroideries and postcards.
We sold 6 Mahilas = 1800 SEK and one Girl embroidery á 400 SEK And some postcards. And people were interested to know more!

EN IDÉ OM EN VÄRLDSBRODERIDAG

FRÅN BRODERIAKADEMINS HEMSIDA

Datum:	Söndagen den 12 juni 2011, 09:40:19
Namn:	Kerstin Nettelblad
E-post:	kerstin.nettelblad@telia.com
Nummer:	38

HEJ alla lustbrodöser! Firardagarna trängs i vår almanacka men i Skåne SY-d har vi upptäckt att en viktig dag, nämligen VÄRLDSBRODERIDAGEN saknas.
I vår grupp har vi bestämt att utnämna 30 juli till VÄRLDSBRODERIDAG.
Detta premiärår samlas vi i Vismarlövs Väv och Bagarstuga strax utanför Lund och årets tema är Indien.
Täcklebos grundare Elsa Agélii har som vi alla vet ett broderiprojekt tillsammans med indiska kvinnor och flickor. Genom att på Världsbroderidagen sälja de indiska broderierna vill vi stötta möjligheterna för fler flickor att gå i skolan.
I Skåne-SY-d hoppas vi nu att fler lokalgrupper gör som vi.
Med våra stygn kan vi bidra till en bättre värld och dessutom har vi ju kul tillsammans. I vår grupp tänker vi alltid på vi broderar för lust och prestationskraven glömmer vi bort när vi sysslar med färg, form, nål och tråd.
På vår blogg kommer du att kunna följa hur vi nu bygger upp ett program för dagen. Vi har stora visioner men samtidigt, skånskor har båda fötterna på jorden.
Vi börjar i det lilla, väl medvetna om att många bäckar små.................
Elsa Agélii är med och stöttar våra tankar om Världsbroderidagen. I vår grupp påpekade Gunilla H att vi ska vara medvetna om att utan Elsa hade det inte funnits någon Broderiakademi. Det är nu tid för oss att ge henne vårt stöd i Indienprojektet. Så gick snacket hos oss, ni vet det där med gåvor och gengåvor.
Hoppas nu att lokalgrupper ute i landet nappar på vår idé!
Hör gärna av er i gästboken om tankar kring detta. Vi välkomnar också bra idéer för dagen!
Kerstin och Gunilla som håller i trådarna för 30 juli.
VÄRLDSBRODERIDAGEN

äR INTE DETTA EN FANTASTISK TANKE SÅ SÄG! / elsa

ONSDAGSSALONG TRÄFFPUNKTEN MÖLNDAL

1 juni 2011 kl. 13.00

Föreläsning i Caféet:

Textilkonstnär Britta Kleberg

berättar om sitt arbete i Indien

med flickor som broderar bilden

om sin vardag.

STYRELSENS FÖRSTA MÖTE I TÄCKLEBO I MITTEN AV APRIL...

Bild från styrelsens första möte i Täcklebo den 16 april 2011
Britta Kleberg, kassör, Frida Eriksson Edwards suppleant,
Joanna Schroeder, sekreterare, Monika Lind ledamot.
Elsa höll i kameran.

MAHILAS VÄNNER har bildats

Stödförening till Mahila aur Pani Embroidery Club vid ett möte som hölls på Skype.

Man kan bli medlem genom att sätta in 100 kr på:
bankgiro 420-5431

Vi kommer att starta en blogg som berättar vad som sker.

Och här är den bloggen, som jag tränar på att forma./Elsa

Tanken är att varje medlem skall kunna skriva i den så vi lämnar ut användarnamn och lösenord till den som så önskar.

Nästa aktivitet kan man se under Aktuellt. Det blir trädgårdsmöte i Täcklebo på midsommarsöndagen den 26 juni, Se ovan!

Vänliga hälsningar

ElsA

INSAMLADE PENGAR TILL FLICKORS SKOLGÅNG

This is a report about collected money during 5 months jan- May 2011.We collect in exhibitions, lectures and courses. It is now 5945 Swedish Crowns = 38805 Rupies. That is enough to let 5 girls go to school, including schoolfees,clothes,material and books.  This is a private school near the village.
 

Insamlat Mahilas vänner 2011
Jan	Föredrag Elsa	Konstfören.Artäll Vänersborg	1072
Feb	Kulturkalas  E	Dalslands Konstmuseum	165
Mars	Föredrag Elsa	Konstfören.SR Media	510
	Föredrag Elsa	Östergötl Läns Hemslöjd	899
	Föredrag Elsa	Jämtlands Läns hemslöjd	423
	Föredrag Elsa	Hållands Folkhögskola	806
April	Föredrag Elsa	Konsthörnan Falkenberg	700
Maj	Födelsedagsfest f. Veronica+Lasse		370
	Enskilda Givare/Mahilas Vänner		600
April	Föredrag Britta Mullsjö Fhsk		400

                          Summa insamlat den 19 maj 2011 5945 Kronor

Fr.o.m. i vår går de insamlade pengarna till att bekosta flickors skolgång. Vi har nu anmält fem flickor, som annars inte skulle gå i skolan, till nästa termin i en privatskola nära byn. Vi betalar skolavgift, skoluniform, böcker och annat material detta kostar omkring 1000 kronor för ett läsår per flicka.
Forts. Insamling
Juni 20 Föredrag Elsa Galleri Kulturmejan, V:a Karup          600

NY FÖRENING MAHILAS VÄNNER--FRIENDS OF MAHILA

PÅ SKYPEMÖTE DEN 16 MARS 2011 BILDAS VÄNFÖRENINGEN

TILL MAHILA AUR PANI EMBROIDERY CLUB

Det vi gjorde i kväll var nog en världspremiär, i alla fall ur vår egen synvinkel:
Vi bildade föreningen Mahilas vänner som ska stödja arbetet i byn Bilonki basti (felstavad, jag vet)
nära Jaisalmer i Rajasthan, Indien.

Och vi gjorde det genom ett möte på skype - det var, i alla fall för oss sex deltagare - en äkta premiär!

Hoppas vi hörs snart igen
Joanna, ledamot i nya styrelsen, mötesordförande och just nu mycket trött

***
Här skriver Elsa
Samma dag kom också PAKETET det paket som varit på väg från Jaisalmer i öknen i Rajasthan, Indien sedan den 11 februari. Stor var vår oro när det tog så lång tid. Paket har ju kommit på villovägar förr. Och detta var alla de broderier som kvinnorna gjorde vår senaste period i byn 108 stycken. monterade och nästan färdiga för visning och till försäljning till alla dem som längtat efter dessa små vattenbärerskor.Ett kapital, som skall göra det möjligt att fortsätta arbetet i byn.
Brittas sändning med flickbroderier kom efter bara en vecka!

Hej för i kväll!

Elsa

poesi - litteraturtips

... jag vet inte hur ni gör, men när jag vill lära känna ett nytt land, en ny kultur, nya människor - då är litteraturen konungsvägen dit. Så gjorde jag innan jag åkte till Jaisalmer i julas och skörden jag fick ut av min läsning var att jag såg och förstod saker som jag annars aldrig hade lagt märke till...

idag vill jag tipsa om en poesi-sida som har olika länder i fokus varje månand, denna månad är det just Indien - och många kvinnor som skriver finns det... visst blir man glad när ens fördomar inte besannas?

http://india.poetryinternationalweb.org/piw_cms/cms/cms_module/index.php?obj_name=india

joanna
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here is a historical story from our last visit in India. This studytrip was very important for our development plans to come.

THE TRIP TO TILONIA - BAREFOOTCOLLEGE

AN ICECOLD NIGHTRIDE ON BUS
from Jaisalmer at 4.30 pm and arrival to Kisangarh at 6 am.The road was bumpy in a very bumpy bus and with natural AC. The night was one of theese nights with temperature + - 0. And we were not very well prepared for such a cold.
We were two women and two girls from Bhilon Ki Basti, two socialworkers and four swedish women.Ten persons eager to experience the Tilonia Barefootcollege!
We wanted to see the interesting work which is done. AND we wanted to discuss with them about possibilities for exchange of knowledge. We feel that we need help to create a structure and to start a democracy-process to empower the women and girls in Bhil Basti, as our fieldwork often become very caotic.

Waiting in a nightly the- hut for a taxi to take us the last 10 kilometers to Tilonia, where beds were prepared. In the hut was a coal-fire to warm our hands.

Breakfast after a short sleep. Sita, Yashoda,are the girls and you also see Jatani coming out. The dogs are waiting for something to eat.
We were shown around.First visit: the handicraft departement.We understand that the women who works with any work for Tilonia get payed with minimum 100 Rupies a day the year around. Tilonia has a marketing departement for handicraft. The Barefoot college works preferably with illiterate women from remote villages. It´s possible to stay here for 6 months and learn any of the subjects which are available.

Here women are producing solar-energy cookers. Imagine, not to be forced to collect wood for fire every day! So much more time for making other things, for instance embroidery!
This woman was illiterate when she came to Tilonia, now she is working with control of proves of waterstandard in the Tilonia region.

Here is the electronic Workshop. 8 Women from Kenya  are learning how they can electrify their villages by using solar energy.One woman from Jordania will go back to her country next day and start the work in her own village in Jordanian desert, she is the woman to the right.

Here are two "barefootdentists" and under is their equipment.

 In the puppetworkshop they learn how to make Puppets and how to play with them to tell important stories to friends and people who need to get some knowledge. About girl childrens rights to live for instance.

The production of big bedcover was very interesting for Radiya and Sita in our group.And it also gave me a new idea about how to make this kind of big product and keep every woman´s individual creativity alive