Micro-Enterprise Update

This week has been a whirlwind for the Micro-Enterprise team here in the Irula Colony. Because of the reactive nature of how business works, and the need for eyes on the ground to see what works and what doesn't we couldn't plan too much on the front end.

Our main initiatives this week are making improvements to the goat micro-herds, coming up with a business for the tailors that have completed a 15 month training course, and seeking out the potential for a larger scale business to help support the village and our programs in India.

Thank God for Raj, as he has a business knack as well as the ability to translate without any problems. The first two days in the village, it seemed to be moving slow and much of the time was spent casting vision of what is and could be. We surveyed the goat owners, as well as the tailors to see what is working well and what they are challenged with. The information we were given was definitely a lot different than we had thought we would here. Again proving we can't plan too much stateside for what's to come with Micro in India.

The 5 ladies who have completed the tailoring training are going to receive each a sewing machine that was promised them at the beginning of the program. Their skills have multiplied many times, and their thanks for allowing them the opportunity really stood out as we heard a testimonial from one of the tailors. Rajeswari, a 25 year old wife and mother of two, let us know of the importance of her accomplishing this trait. Her mother-in-law, constantly was telling her how worthless she was and how her son could have chosen a much better wife. She would share this with their entire village. When she heard of our training program for tailors, she sought an opportunity to learn this trade. She did this by living in the Irula Colony with her two children, while her husband lived in another village with his mother. She said, "I showed a chudidhar I had sewn to my mother in law and she was very impressed. It pleased me to hear kind words come from her mouth about me."

Not only was Rajeswari happy, but the other tailors are so happy to have learned this trait. They were even more happy when we were connected with some expert tailors that run an export shop in downtown Kalavai that attend Pastor Sam's church. Upon setting up a meeting to talk with the owners, they agreed that they would train the Irula tailors and hire them to do work for them. This works out perfect for their set up as they prefer daily wages and aren't quite yet ready to "own" their own business. So all 5 tailors have jobs and will learn even more expertise with this export business! God is good.

The above picture is the "next generation" of tailors that are wanting to learn the trade. We are planning on having these 6 younger ladies who haven't and can't attend school (because they are too far behind and would have to be in 1st or 2nd grade) get trained under the current Irula tailors as well as the expert tailors. They are excited as they are all good friends and are willing and wanting to learn this much needed trade here in India.
Above is a meeting with a brick kiln owner in which a villager from the Irula Colony stood up against him in order to challenge him on how much debt he owed the owner. The meeting got heated, but was such a site to see as Ravi, a goat owner who admitted he didn't know the difference between 4 months or 4 years, brought out the records of the debt he owed and made the kiln owner swallow his lies! Ravi settled his debt on the spot and the kiln owner can't come after him or touch him again!

The concept of owning your own goats is so foreign to the Irula that they would rather work for daily wages than own their own goats and have to keep track of vaccinations and when to sell the goats. We have set up a program to allow them to fulfill their wishes so we can pay them a daily wage. The Irula Welfare Association actually owns the goats and will take goat profits and set up a system for helping other community members in need.

Though starting out slow, the Micro team has gotten quite a bit accomplished this week and many blessings from God to celebrate. This initiative is on-going and ever changing. Overall, we had an amazing week and have developed great relationships with people from the village.

Micro-Enterprise Team