Author: Brenda Weidner

We are ready to distribute face masks that we’ve been working on for more than 1 week. It’s been a very frightening and confusing time for the villagers since the covid-19 pandemic has ravaged the  world.

We are doing what we can with what we have in our Jivan Freedom Center in this global crisis. Making masks and distributing them to the local villagers was an obvious decision to make.

 

 

It’s been pretty exciting to get out and be together as a team again! They are loving this.

 

On March 20th Malina and Sebika took the village train to go to the Bazarre to buy our Salvaged fabrics for our Jivan projects. Little did we realize that this load of fabric would be exactly what we needed to sew the hundreds of face masks needed in weeks to come!

 

People from the village are very thankful and surprised that we would provide these hand sewn masks for free.

 

Since we are all isolated in our homes the women and girls cannot enter the sewing room, so we are strategizing our plans through daily group facetime calls; encouraging each other and staying productive. We love this!

 

Production continues daily as approximately 100 face masks are being sewn and assembled daily. We are so grateful that we had a small inventory of fabric that we could utilize for this urgent need. We’re collaborating with other groups to provide masks to leaders that are giving food rations to the neediest communities. We’re in this together,  compassionately uniting at a very unstable time. Together we can get through this.

Malina’s daughters are happy to be a part of the production. They’re helping her with sewing and making their own T shirts designs.

 

 

Our Artisans will continue to come to Jivan Freedom Center to bring their finished kantha fabrics and receive their pay during isolation time.

 

 

 

Each bag has a story, they’re as unique and beautiful as the women who make them.  Keep scrolling to see only a few of our designs…there’s more to come:)

We’ve been working very hard on designing a line of totes, fitness straps and bags.  They’re ethically made, gorgeous and sustainable.

What sustainability means to Jivan…?

Sustainability for us is using high quality upcycled materials and fabrics to create each unique design. We continue to experiment with different fabrics and materials to make the highest quality, beautifully hand crafted piece, just for you.

It’s about empowering women,  providing training, creating jobs with livable wages and sustainable income for our women artisans. See Jivan Sewing Center 

It’s about preserving culture. Putting hand made artforms like kantha stitching at the center of our designs. Each bag is designed with a different inspirational word or message.

A little sneak peak of only a couple designs we’re working on; A pouch with fitness strap and our fitness bags.

Each set includes a Pouch with fitness mat strap

 

Each pouch has a gorgeous matching fitness mat strap…

Malina is showing off just a few of our fitness bag designs and colors…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Each Yoga Bag is uniquely designed with kantha art on the straps and kantha straight hand stitch on the entire bag, fully lined, with handy pockets for water bottle, keys and cell phone, There’s even room for your work out gear!

We have so much more in store…just wait and see!

 

Although it’s been 6 months since our event, the impact still lingers in my heart. We didn’t have a clue what to expect or how this would all turn out. However, I’m so grateful and happy with how everything unfolded for this Aug 10th celebration! Our main focus was to bring awareness to this critical need, something we can’t do alone.

 

Alex at Rewind Consignment graciously opened his shop doors to provide us with this venue. It was perfect. It was a casual open house with refreshments, door prizes and ethnic music.

Women could shop with a powerful purpose, and the purchase of a Freeset scarf would give them a gift bag from one of our local sponsors. It was truly a community effort all the way around.

 

 

 

 

Cory was generous in spending the day with us filming and taking photos for us to share with you! We appreciate you Cory!!

I couldn’t have done it without my dear friend Christine and the rewind team, Monika and Bianca, they are all true gems. They believe in our vision for empowering and equipping these girls and women… and we all love fashion!

 

 

 

It was fun trying on the scarves and ethnic fashions we had for sale. This customer asked if I would help her wrap a sari around her, lol….well, I think I can safely say….I Did It!

Customers were quite surprised when Malina and the family from India joined us on facetime and greeted them as they came in the door! You can only imagine how elated Malina and the family were to be apart of such an event.

 

 

Since this event we have been working hard on creating our line of Jivan fitness bags and scarves. We seem to be more focused on our bags as we discovered this amazing gift these women have!  We have employed 4 women so far to sew the traditional Kantha stitch. It’s simply beautiful. Follow along to see how we’re developing.

Thank you again to all of you that have participated in this endeavour to bring awareness and help to these girls and women in Bamangachi India.

Thank you Alex Browne for the story in;

Peace Arch News

A BIG Thank You to all our community Sponsors!!

Barrique Restaurant,   Envy Nail Salon,  Taka Sushi,   Wooden Spoon,   Live Yoga Studio,  Five Corners Vietnamese,   Popey South Surrey,   The Bread Box,   The Base Coat,  Big Feet,   Sandpiper Liquor Store,   Sin 7 Salon,   Nature’s Fair Market,   Diamante Nail Salon