One Year Later

It's been one whole year since we began our sewing program in Cambodia, and the support of all of our customers has enabled the program to grow by huge leaps and bounds. Since we began our collaboration with Daughters’ Day Centre in Phnom Penh, OVER 100 GIRLS have left the sex industry to start a new life. We thought you might be interested in an update on how your money has been spent!

The aim is to restore dignity and self-worth, and to help girls find viable alternatives for their lives. Along with providing salaries in a Fair Trade job, your support has enabled the Daughters' center to expand to now offer:

• medical treatment within the clinic with HIV testing
• therapy and counselling
• community-based accommodations for girls under 20 who want to live on-site
• a day program for the very young children (usually siblings or children of sex workers) who live in the brothel to provide intervention through education.
  

So... a giant thanks! I’ve also included a photo of a few of the girls so you can see the faces of those you’ve supported, as well as a few photos of their creations. We will be adding silk garters in early 2009, and are working on silk screened ring pillows to match our invitations!

As a final note, we are trying to gather photos to send back to the girls of their items being used in weddings and other events. If you have a photograph of your ring pillow, flowers or sash in action, please, please email it to us so that we can pass it along.

Thanks again!

Rebecca