S.E.W. What?

HERE'S WHAT- S.E.W.-

SALVADORAN ENTERPRISE FOR WOMEN

Go Sister, Soul Sister.....

Sister Anne Marie, a SSND (Sisters of Notre Dame) graced a group last night in a corner of Friendship Heights, Chevy Chase with a presentation on what a group of remarkable women from El Salvador are doing to keep their families alive. I walked past the Chevy Chase Tiffany's, Barneys, and took a left past the Brooks Brothers, walking through the Friendship Heights fountained park into high end condoland. There a humble sister with a cardboard stand up display with photos and hand-outs told us about another world south of our border.

El Salvador recall had a bloody civil war and many of the men emigrated to American to find work thereafter-those that were not killed in the war. It left a lot of women to fend for themselves off the skinny of the land. It was a two hour bus ride each day each way to get to factories in San Salvador for many of them. There had to be a better way and life than a long bus road to a small house by grueling factory labor.

Enter Sister Anne Marie (photo above), who use to visit her fellow Sister of Notre Dame there in San Salvador. She had a plan. Let's start organizing the women into co-operatives of mini-industry that would allow them to stay more local, give them time with their families/kids, give them ownership in their enterprises and pride in their craft.

The Salvadoral Enterprises for Women was born, and in spite of some political and cultural setbacks has not stopped growing since. The shy retiring woman who thought she could not do anything because she couldn't read or write started working in a mobil kitchen that serviced fairs and events and eventually she became part owner in this co-op concept, and is in literacy classes now, explained Sister Anne, whose vision for the women goes beyond just giving them a craft or trade, but is all about self-respect, dignity, awareness of their beauty as beloved children of God and empowerment. Some of the women now sit on city councils she explained.

Some of the little businesses that they run include a bio-natural organic plant based herbal medicine manufacturing and distribution with wisdom taken from the native south americans regarding healing herbs and plants, a bakery, a mobil kitchen, a sewing industry that makes embroidered shirts and georgeous jackets (Holy Trinity catholic church in DC sells them annually at their Christmas fair) Hen farms for eggs, candle-making, and a variety of other crafts and services.

Sister Anne spoke about some of the cultural barriers to introducing women to the self-sufficiency that their own labors can provide and building self -esteem. They have teams of experienced trainers who start with education on bodily integrity among other things who instruct, explained the good Sister "it is not all right for anyone to hit your body." Domestic violence is rampant in overly machoistic cultures and the El Salvadoral rural peasant population are no exceptions. Just not all right.

Sister Anne is looking for partners to team up with her effort with support and even brave souls who wish to visit. Click on their site for more information, http://www.sewinc.org/

or give Sister Anne an email hollar at annemarie [at] sewinc.org (replace at with @ and say Cynthia sent you)