This blog has been written by Launa Stan:

I just returned from a trip from India that was both amazing and daunting! This is a country rich in history, culture and majesty, but also has its share of poverty, tragedy and inequality. During my stay, I was privileged to do Joy Bag outreaches in three different slums in the Mumbai region. I also visited schools and tribal areas doing Joy Bag outreaches there as well. We at Global Impact have been supporting an impressive Women's Tailoring/vocational program for several years. There are 7 locations in India and amongst those sites, I met the women in this program in 5 sites from the slums of Mumbai, to Andra Pradesh region all the way to the south in the Kerala state.

So I have returned mighty jet legged but fiercely determined that this "Sewing Machine" project is worthwhile. So now, I have a goal in mind, I'd like to raise the funds to purchase 100 Sewing machines for the women of India!

Let me back up and explain this project...For the entire amount of $100. a woman in an impoverished situation can be trained for 4 months to sew. The items she will learn to tailor are things that she will be able to sell in the future, such as saris, sari tops and children's clothing. During the training program she is also given the option to learn embroidery that can embellish her garments, which adds to the selling price. When she successfully completes the program, she then receives a sewing machine to take home. These are the old fashioned, pedal-power generated ones because most of the ladies do not have electricity in their shanties. This brand new sewing machine will empower them in a way that changes their lives. It gives them an opportunity to earn money of their own and enables them to feed their children with more nutritious food. So far, we have 65 women (just in the Kerala state) who have completed the project and are waiting for sewing machines! While these women wait, they are able to come to the tailoring site and borrow those to create items to sell. But they need their own! Would you partner with us at Global Impact to purchase 100 sewing machines for this endeavor? A mere $100. pays for the training and the sewing machine-what an amazing deal and a life changing gift.