Children's Uplift Programme and Basha

Today we had the chance to visit behind the scenes a project that is well known in Dhaka.  Basha sells kantha quilts made from vintage saris, and stunning ones made from luxe saris and more lately jewellery. Kantha quilts are a traditional Bangladeshi handicraft using old saris to make small and larger blankets.

I have admired their products, bought some earrings, and a gift for Gemma from there, but found them a bit pricey, and as yet haven't fallen in "love" with any of the quilts.  I will never look at them the same again after today, the amount of "iceberg" which sits below the output of the beautiful quilts gives them a value to me which is beyond the price paid.

The children's uplift programme (CUP) is a wonderful organisation which helps children on the streets by helping their mothers. They have outreach programmes which build the trust needed for the mothers to take the steps forward into changing their lives. Many of the women have been involved in sex work, or are in danger, but through the long term training at CUP they are able to gain skills and receive physical and emotional support.  Some continue through the alternative employment scheme and work for Basha (http://www.bashaboutique.com/) - please click through to their websites for all the information that the two organisations provide - they are much clearer than me trying to paraphrase it!

learning to embroider

loading the needle

tiny premie in the creche

cheeky chappie

we arrived at nap time

jewellery workshop

the output

order board

the saris are weighted down by bricks as the layers (6) are pinned together

tricky corner

a beautiful double quilt like this will take 48 work hours to sew by hand