HOPE Self Empowerment Group

Walking into their tin hut constructed workshop I am overwhelmed by their gracious smiles. Just moments before I thought that I would be entering a empty workshop, but before me is an abundance of beautiful crafts all handmade in one weeks time by the women of HOPE Self Empowerment Group. The women stand behind the tables of crafts with such pride for all that they have made and all they are and hope to become. Brightly colored jewelery fills the tables and hand dyed batiks hang from the walls. Each woman introduces themselves and begins to tell their story. Each story is one of suffering but each story is what has propelled them to join this group and start life anew. The eldest of the group Lucy begins to speak, her voice is so frail and she is reluctant to make eye contact. She speaks of the death of her children, 7 of her children have died, and she lost 3 of her grandchildren in one day in a road accident. She is now a widow and has felt abandoned and alone. As I look around I see that every women in the group is crying for the pain and joy of one is the pain and joy of the whole community. They feel Lucy's pain as though it were there own, for many have the same story. Each one's story goes deeper and deeper into the depths of despair but still songs continue to flow from their mouths and the dancing begins. Helen a Massai women in the group begins to lead us all in a traditional song a dance within moments the whole group is singing along and beaming from ear to ear. The room is filled with the palpable energy of hope and new beginnings.
These women are now part of the HOPE microloan group, and each have their own individual small businesses and are also all a part of a collective craft group. In November I returned from Kenya after being with this group a year after this was written, and their faces are hard to recognize for each one has become a new woman, an empowered, strong, courageous woman!!!!