These Batik purses were made by Thushari. She was a field officer working with an NGO in Colombo, specializing in Child development. She lost her job in 2018 and had been unemployed.
Her husband was working in a leading hotel in Hambantota and he too was let go from his job due to his epilepsy.
Thushari started to learn how to sew and her husband started drawing. EFI helped them attend a batik workshop. Through partnership with We'RE SL Thushari and her husband started making batik products and look forward to starting their own shop.
-Batik Purses
We are so excited about our Batik Purses available for pre-order. These are handmade by our local artisan partners through our INSPIRE programs!
The purses are 9in x 7in & 10.5in x 7in batik quilted purses in colorful tie-dye patterns.
-Batik Purse Project
These purses are tie-dye, no two purses will be the same. Each one unique due to the tie-dye technique!
These are perfect for travel storage, make up or keeping accessories in your purse organized!
To Pre-Order go to our shop page.
Sewing
INSPIRE Programs
Sheni is a self-made entrepreneur from Hambanthota, Sri Lanka. After attending the Batik workshops funded with EFI. Through our local partner organization We'RE SL she decided to start creating her own products from home. She is still pursuing her studies. She currently follows a diploma in English.
Hailing from a family of four girls, she has decided to take on the burden of building their own family home.
She is creating her batik products in her own backyard.
Today Shenide is engaged in Tie-dye projects and several batik projects. She dreams about owning her own sewing machine one day and her own shop!
Batik Projects - Hambantota
The Ephraim foundation together with ‘We‘re SL’ conducted a Batik making workshop in August 2023. The visit was to follow up on the progress of these communities. The visit was mainly to 02 villages, meeting 02 families: Thushari and Sheni.
Batik
INSPIRE Programs - Batik & Sewing
Challenges in Hambantota:
-
Main jobs are based around labour, mainly salterns, paddy and fisheries.
-
Early marriages: as children face economic related issues at home they tend to get married in their teen years, to escape these issues.
-
Unrestricted non-monitored phone usage among children: children tend to start getting addicted to their phones, being exposed to inappropriate content.
-
Women are not encouraged to take part in economic activities.
Developments in Hambantota:
-
Self - entrepreneurship among youth. (see: profile: Sheni)
-
Through the Batik-making workshop Thushari and her family have started turning to batik for income.
LEAD Programs
Location Information:
Challenges &
Development
-
Makandura
-
Badalgama
-
Kulliapitiya
-
Matale
-
Ganepolla/ Yatiyanthota
Makandura/Badalgama/ Kulliapitiya Challenges
-
Finding a location that can hold all the students.
-
Motivating students to attend the classes
-
Academic challenges: i.e. a thirteen year old may not know the English Alphabet
-
Behavioral habits: i.e. Students tend to speak and behave according to habits seen at home
-
Drug usage in homes.
-
Nutrition and malnutrition : Some students and families cannot afford milk, vegetables or other nutritious foods.
-
Economic hardship: inability to afford pencils and paper
Growth and development
-
After one year of the program the teachers have noted that the students can enunciate their words better.
-
The teachers have noted a rise in the overall average of term test marks.
-
The students can read better with vocabulary acquisition.
-
Children's day programs: more than 100 students from all 3 classes and around the area were able to attend the children’s day program in the church situated at Mahakandura. The students were able to participate in games organized and enjoy refreshments.
-
Shanilka grade 11: Noted a great growth and he is currently able to write O level past papers by himself.
-
A girl who was demoted to grade 02 for not being able to keep up with her work, has now been promoted back to grade 03 after attending LEAD program classes
-
Students who were not taught hygiene at school/ home have now started paying more attention to hygiene.
-
Hoshadi a student from Badalgama: She was not able to attend church due to her father’s substance abuse. Yet she progresses slowly in class.
-
Badalgama: 02 volunteer teachers
Ganepolla/ Yatiyanthota is a tea estate situated just off the Hatton-Colombo highway in Central Sri Lanka. This is a predominantly a Sinhala Buddhist area while the estate workers themselves are Tamils and Hindus (and therefore face many disputes and inequalities).
Challenges in Ganepolla/ Yatiyanthota:
-
Drinking: The toddy from the trees in this region is famous for its alcohol.
-
Teenage smoking and addictions to substances.
-
Many children start working at a garment factory in the area at 15 years, they do not pursue studies after grade 8.
Developments;
-
A class of 60 students who are interested in learning
-
Community led classes
-
The estate consists of a prospective LEAD project with over 60 students and 2 teachers that operates 4 days a week.
-
Focus on Tamil, Sinhala language classes and Math classes
Challenges in Matale:
-
Drug usage has become a rise in Matale as well.
-
Lack of youth mobility
-
Early marriage
-
Lack of housing and difficult access to villages due to no proper roads.
Developments in Matale:
-
A close corporation between the police, local leadership and the community leaders.
-
Many unreached communities
-
Focus on English language classes
-
11 villages will be reached in the area
When we started:
LEAD
Learning Education Access Development Program.
-
We have a passion to encourage children and give them an opportunity to succeed.
LEAD
-
Education allows each child an opportunity to thrive.
Helping
Hands
-
Serving others. Lending an helping hand.
-
Lifting each other up.
Helping
Hands
-
Ensuring food security and nutrition is accessible for all.
INSPIRE
-
Creating economic opportunity, a better life for their families and improve their communities.
-
Encourages equal access to nutritious food.
INSPIRE
-
Supporting small business programs in rural areas.
The
Joy
House
-
Providing a safe haven for those in need.