Until recently, the family relied on the meagre income that Joynab’s husband, a day labourer, earned. But it was very difficult to feed and send their children
to school and, often, the cost of school fees and education supplies left the family financially stranded.

That’s why Joynab didn’t hesitate to take up the opportunity to participate in tailoring training offered by our partners.

Motivated by the new skills that she gained, Joynab convinced her husband to buy a sewing machine.

Initially, she sewed clothes just for her family, but as her confidence grew and her skills improved, she began to receive orders from others in the community, establishing her small home business.

The income she makes from her business is very helpful to her family, but for Joynah, setting a good example for her daughter is just as important. “I am now teaching my daughter to sew so that soon we can buy another sewing machine and expand our business,” she says, proudly.

Joynah was one of over 2,500 people from the Asian Aid-supported school and local communities who benefited from income-generating activities and training in shopping-bag making, in cow, goat and hen animal husbandry, in paddy and seed storing, in fruit tree distribution and planting and in vegetable cultivation.

Thank you for helping this mother- and-daughter team and others in their community begin to break the cycle of poverty. Your support is the gift that will keep on giving for generations to come.

Steps to Self-Sufficiency

Every parent wants to provide for their children. Self-sufficiency is not just about finances; it’s about dignity too.

The parents and community members in our programs who participate in income-generating activities all take proactive steps to better the lives of their families.

• They meet with our partners to identify the most pressing needs in their community
• They register for an activity that best meets their needs.
• They commit time and effort to training. It takes up to three months to complete a tailoring course for example, while adult literacy and computer classes can be once or twice a week, ongoing.
• They tend to their gardens, improve their skills, care for their animals; working hard to practise what they learn, getting better every day.
• They go to markets to sell their produce or their animals. They source orders for embroidery or clothing.
• They invest time, energy and resources to grow their businesses.

They are good stewards of the opportunities, training and resources they receive thanks to your support.