To the brothers and sisters at Pulpit Rock,
We are so excited to update you about the use of the gift that you sent to Khushbu Artisan Center in New Delhi, India, a few months back. One of our big needs this year was to hire a new block printer to begin to scale up our production, but as you know, you can’t expand without investment. The money you sent us is being used to pay the salary of our first FEMALE block printer! In a male-dominated art, we have been so excited to employ Sudha and see her absolutely thrive. It’s my belief that Indian mothers are some of the strongest people in the world and it has been a joy to watch Sudha not only grow into this role, but provide for her family through this salary. Sudha’s three children are able to go to English-medium schools here in New Delhi, which will hugely affect where they will end up in terms of job acquisition in the future.
Another chunk of the money you sent was used to purchase a new sewing machine, again, to help us slowly scale up our production as we find new clients to sell to. Our ladies have been so happy to have another machine to work on during this season.
The third use of the funds has been to help us cover the cost of training women from the African continent who have been internationally trafficked into New Delhi through promises of factory jobs. We have begun meeting weekly with several women who have been able to escape the sex industry and teach them how to use our scrap leather to make earrings. Then the daughters of our employees hand paint or embroider the earrings! Through this training and production, we are able to provide a salary AND an artisanal skilling certificate for the women to take back home with them. We are partnering with another organization that is providing a safe house for them along with trauma healing counseling while they wait for their new visas and passports to be processed from their local embassies. It has been incredible to watch our employees love these women so well (even with the language barrier) and pray healing over them while they are in our space.
Thank you SO much for your financial support that is allowing our family to grow our BAM (business as mission) and meet the physical and spiritual needs in a place that has been in the dark for so long.
Sincerely,
Pete, Jen, and Victo for Khushbu
