The craft training project of 2014

for the women of villages

Madiha, Walgama and Kamburugamon

in southern Sri Lanka

We are looking for a skillfull person to lead a craft project for 25 to 30 Sri Lankan women.

Do you have three months time ?

Are you artistic and have craftmanship ?

Would you like to discover the life of southern Sri Lanka, the diamond of The Indian Ocean?

You are welcome!

The cause - emigration for money

Every year over 200 000 people leave Sri Lanka in search of a richer and better life in the Arab countries like Jordan, Liban, Quatar, Dubai etc. where they work as housekeepers or hotel and restaurant cleaners.

The recruiters -agencies in search of cheap labor- eagerly take advantage of the fact that most of the villagers are very poor and uneducated and unable to read the contracts they sing.

After arriving to the destination countries the workers' passports are seized by a local agency or their employers. The first wages are held back as payment of the trip so the employee may work without pay for up to a year. The work days last up to 18 hours.

After years of hard work the employee might get a breaf vacation to visit home. She usually gets some money with her, not much but still more than an average Sri Lankan earns. This is not all of their wages, the rest remains with the employers for assurance of returning. Again the trip is not free -it must be repayed with labor. Sometimes they get no pay ergo it is impossible for them to get back home.

The only right they have is the right to remain silent.

The departure of a mother destroys family life. The children suffer particularly. The absence of the mother can last for years, if not definitely.

Our aim – craftmanship and independence

We want to prevent the mothers of our 41 girl proteges from leaving the country for a false illusion. We want them to learn a profession, to design and to create -and ultimately be able to provide for themselves. It is not just to create financial wealth but to raise the dignity and self-determination of village women. And for them to be able to work at home.

After 33 years of war Sri Lanka now has peace. The tourism is growing every year which is an opportunity to create and develop small businesses. Sri Lanka is poor of souvenirs and handicraft except for beautiful but expensive batique and wooden sculptures that are too big to take home.

The three year process

The three month intensive trainig period is the beginning of a three year process of introducing recyclable and natural materials to the village women and finally to help them to develop small businesses. To design, prepare and to sell products and to manage the profit, to learn accounting and how to invest and share the gain.

We hope to start the training in January 2014.

The associationLittle Blue Elephant is urgently looking for a skillfull project leader to the ladies of the three villages devided in small groups.

Age is not of importance, but skills in English are needed.

Don't think you have nothing to give – you'r experience is valuable! The women are open to learn.

The Little Blue Elephant Ass. is a small organisation in Finland. Unfortunately we cannot finance your travel or your stay in Sri Lanka but we promise you support and guidance and an unforgettable experience of Sri Lankan life.

We are happy to give you more information.

Danielle Rolser 358 (0) 50 307 8947

danirolser@hotmail.com

Kiira Ilmarinen 358 (0) 46 530 4699

itu_rauha@hotmail.com

facebook : Danielle Rolser, Pieni Sininen Elefantti Ry / Little Blue Elephant Ass.