October 2, 2009

The graduation was beautiful.  There were so many friends who have seen the struggle and were such a big part of the celebration.  The ladies all looked beautiful with their hair done in special rose clips donated by Sharon.  They all had new shoes and new sweaters and their faces were so full of hope.

We had traditional musicians playing songs from all the regions.  The instrument looks like a one-stringed long guitar but it’s amazing how much the musician can do with it.  The ladies danced for hours and it was so fun to see the different dances and be such a close part of their happiness.

This week has been spent moving.  Our contract was up on our training and office building and just our “luck”  the building across the street became vacant the same day.  It’s twice the size and the same price.  The floors are all marble.  I know that sounds like a luxury to most people, but for us it is a godsend.  The marble floors make it so easy to keep the urine cleaned up and it also helps the smell if the urine doesn’t soak into a concrete or dirt floor.

We’ve revamped our program so that every women in our Tier II group gets literacy training, hair dressing, soap making, and sewing.  So far our experiment with chicken farming has not been so great.  I think I told you how I cooked the first dozen by putting them in a chicken house that was too hot.  The rest have lived but our profit has been just about negative 600 Birr per month.  We TRIED!!!!

Yesterday, we took our graduates to a NGO named WISE.  They work with 10,000 women per year with micro loans for businesses.  They spent two hours working with our women.  We are on to the next step.  I was so encouraged by two women from WISE who spoke.  They both lost their husbands with four children.  The had absolutely no money nor any way to get it.  They started their own small businesses and step by step they are both not only supporting their own families but they are helping others.  WOW!

Now my little dog, Ishi, is waiting in the hot car for me.  I took her for a walk yesterday in her Victoria Secret T shirt and her little barrettes.  The children LOVED it.  Ishi is terrified of goats,  who could guess….

I am going to Bahir Dar next week for three days.  I get to be a “tourist” model.  I can’t wait!