Reflection. A powerful part of the journey was understanding our environment and the environment of others. We were lucky to have some time to reflect while in Supi—sitting on the terrace, sipping hot chai, thinking about everything we had seen, heard, felt, and experienced over the past weeks immersed in the Himalayas.
Here are some of our final reflections…
Women are powerful.
In the village of Supi, the women do everything. They care for their children, cook, tend to livestock, take care of every aspect of mountain life, and have taken on additional sewing work to secure a better future.
RatnamalaRatnamala Kapur is one of the incredible women we had the honor to get to know during our visit. She’s the director of Kapko, a Delhi fashion house and the founder of Village Ways Charitable Trust, an incredible organization focused on connecting remote villages like Supi to global markets and transforming farmers to artisans. Ratnamala was raised by a single, powerful woman, and Village Ways Charitable Trust is a way for her to “pay it forward”—to give rural women a sustainable livelihood and their children a brighter future.
Anything is possible.
These women are on their own. They’re out here in the mountains paving a way for themselves and their children. But you know what? They are doing it. They’re making it happen, and they don’t, for one second, lose faith in themselves. They are figuring out how to be economically independent and provide for their families.
Being able to work outside of agriculture has allowed these women to make more money and carve out personal time for themselves and their children. They truly believe, and have proved, anything is possible.
We can make a difference.
We’ve spent time with these women. We’ve seen them work, and we’ve seen them live. We’ve had meals with their families.
We’ve become a part of their lives. After coming face-to-face with these incredible humans, the bags and shawls we bought from this collection hold a really special place in our heart. Every stitch reminds us of these powerful women who touched our hearts.
If you haven’t already, take a look at their amazing craftsmanship, and go on and get yourself or someone you love a piece of fashion that matters. You are welcome.
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