Mahaguthi

The 60 women artisans in Mahaguthi’s tailoring unit include sewers, weavers and dyers. In addition to producing  blessings flags for Fair Trade Judaica, they make beautiful clothing and fashion accessories, wall hangings, and other home decorations. In addition to earning a living wage, they receive on-site day care for their children, medical coverage, maternity leave, and retirement benefits. Meet some of the women in this photo who make the Jewish blessing flags: Panchakanya Suwal is responsible for finishing the edges of the blessing flags. She is thirty years old and has a 10-year old daughter, she has worked with mahaguthi for 10 years. “This work is good because you can learn and work with friends”. Renu Maharjan has worked with Mahaguthi for five years. With her 4-year old in the factory day care program, she says “My baby can be here and I can care for him and also continue to work. If there was no daycare, I couldn’t work. I’d have to stay at home.” Five of the women who Mahaguthi has hired in the tailoring unit are hearing-impaired. Saraswati Bhusal, age 27, is now able to make a life for herself. “People in my village called me an ‘idiot’. They hit me over the head with a stone to tease me because my ears don’t work. I want to stay and work in Kathmandu. I concentrate on doing good work and earning money so that I can stand on my own feet.”