August 10, 2012

Thanks Arlene!

We met Arlene last February in one of her visits to Kuta Lombok. She loved Bersahara and committed to come back soon to help us out. 5 months later she landed here again, 2 camaras and a surf board as all gear.

She has spent 10 intense days following every step of the team and the women: markets, savings and loans groups, door to door selling, fish buying, business management trainings, sewing classes, even sasak women modelling. 
Arlene is a professional photographer from Australia (http://arlenebaxblog.com/) who travels the world during her free time volunteering with different organizations, supporting them with what she most loves, photographing people. With Bersahara not only has she done the same, but she has also helped us design our communication materials and even contributed economically to support us.

Arlene, we are very grateful to you, the whole team and the women have enjoyed having you with us! We wish you all the best and hope to see you again soon!

Here is a little taste of Arlene's work...

 
Bangkang Savings and Loans group


Yum managing the accounting for the group in Ujung

Ina Dani and Ina Lina waiting for customers...

Ina Genun happy after selling all her fish!

Ina Ogi and her family

Ina Lena making a bamboo mat


Ina Yuyun door to door sales woman


Business Managment training with Ayong

Buying vegetables in Sengkol market with Ina Nisa

Hajah Saibi preparing the linen for a bag

August 04, 2012

Sasak Modelling


Last Wednesday we went to Ujung village. We wanted to see the evolution of the design and sewing classes that our volunteer Babette has recently started with two groups of women.

Babette supervising Ayong's sewing


The final product, isn't it beautiful?


The Ujung group is made out of 6 women who have some previous basic experience with machine sewing and hand embroidery. Only 3 weeks after starting, the women have already finished their first pieces, a beautiful bag made out of traditional Ikat fabric (hand woven cotton thread), combined with modern trims and designs. We are really proud of them and very grateful to Babette who has managed to achieve this beautiful result in a record time!

To our surprise, the women had decided to dress up in traditional Sasak clothes and unexpectedly modelled for us! See for yourself….

Sasak Models



The women told us that they would have never imagined that they could possibly make a bag like this with their own hands and using their own imagination for embroidery designs. We had a great time!


On the way to empowerment!


August 01, 2012

Bersahara First Employee!


Ellen Pandia was born in Medan, Northern Sumatra. She studied Bachelor in Accounting and started her professional career as an accountant in a restaurant in Batam. After over a year she started looking for a job in the social sector and got an offer as an accountant for ADRA (Adventist Development and Relief Agency), a development organization based in Medan. After 6 years she was transferred to Southern Lombok to take on grass root work leading a water sanitation project.

We met Ellen last year and mnmediately connected with her. After her job at ADRA finished last June we offered her to join Bersahara and we are very lucky that she accepted.

Ellen will be handling the Finance and Accounting for Bersahara, and will assume responsibilities to support and supervise volunteers and other employees. She will also supervie the savings and loans groups and initiate new ones. We also count on Ellen's previous experience in social matters to inspire and lead Bersahara to take on new projects. 


"Working with community at a social / humanitarian organization enriches me with many experiences and many lessons to be learned that I can’t have from a text book. It’s great happiness when I see beneficiary changes to be better in their life."


Welcome Ellen