Beth Shepherd from London UK, travelled to Sri Lanka to follow her passion to make colourful eco shopping bags with women living in poverty, to inspire people to stand up and actively make a difference. Now after being inspired by Obama's achievements she has decided to use her bags to spread her message by adding his powerful 'Change we can' statement to all her bags.

I have just made a press release which you can view by following this link;

Using Colour To Make A Difference And To Spread Obama's Message Of Change

If there is a problem with the link pleae click here; http://www.prlog.org/10184255-using-colour-to-make-difference-and-to-spread-obamas-message-of-change.html

The more people who view it the higher it gets on google search, and the more chance there is of being published, so go for it!

Thanks

Beth

This was made using a free press release distribution company, which i recomened;

PRLog - Free Press Release Service

Today we are leaving for Mozambique to build a shelter for street kids. Cant imagin there will be good internet access so may have to leave the blog until I get back.

I have just returned home to England and have recieved a wonderful surprise of a gift donation to Siri, Pushpa and Erandi, the family I work with in Sri Lanka. Olwyn is 87 and has alway wanted to volountary work but never got the chance she wanted to donate to a project through someone she knew, as she was affraid of giving to big charities. She goes to the day center my mum works at and had read the story in the Harrow Times, and brought the donation in for my mum to give to me.

I went to meet Olyn myself to thank her on behalf of the family, she is such an inspiration. The family called her that night to thank her, and have sent her a present in the post.

Beth 

Positive news is a great paper publishing news from all around the world that looks at only the positive. Really inspiring and well positive!

They were really interested in what I have been doing so have covered a story on it.

Thank you

Beth

www.positivenews.org

I have just had a story in the local news papers about my bags project. The Harrow Times editor, Ian Proctor was pleased when I finally contacted him after he had been trying to get hold of me for the whold time I was in Sri Lanka after previously covering a story for me before I left for Sri Lanka, about my fundrasing efforts. It is a great story and has done bags of colour proud.

Thanks Ian

Beth

Today, Damnika, one of the ladies working with us in Bags of Colour is getting married. I am really happy for her and I know it is a real dream come true, so congratulations!!! 

I just arrived early this morning in to the UK and then tomorrow afternoon I will leave for Spain. It has been great catching up with my mum, and we have spent a perfect English summers day together. We went for a drive and ended up in Harpingdon strawberry picking in the sunshine at a local farm, actually we picked everything from blue berries to rasberries.... and ate more then we put in the containers, my mum couldnt really hide the evidence as it was around her face.

A good day,

Beth

Since returning from Sri Lanka I have been living in Spain and I have been selling the bags at Chez-Spice indian restaurant, and exhibiting my story of how I set up the project. This is now the busiest time of the year for the restaurant and thanks to it being in a great location over looking the mountains and a beautiful lake, it seems to be fully booked every night, so much bags are getting a lot of exposure.

Thanks Chez-Spice

Beth 

The wonderful center we have just handed a deposit for turns out not to be so wonderful, we actually the center in still wonderful, its just the owners are not so!

They have suddenly told us, once we have moved everything in and brough the women to the center, that we have to pay twice than that which we had agreed. They said they had told us, but Siri and Erandi assured me that they hadnt, so off to find another center.

I guess thats life!

Today, was a really interesting day, all the women we had met at mount Lavina fishing village, came to the center today to see what our project is all about.

All 6 arrived looking really smart after taking a bus ride to get here (a dificult thing to do in colombo). I was so excitied, my idea is really coming together now, so many questions in my head to ask the women.

None of them could speak English so it was alittle challenging to keep up with what was going on, but I felt Erandi and Siri did a great job in communicating what our project is about. Things seemed to be going really well, everyone was excited and asking lots of questions, however I began to sense a shift in the atmosphere. I soon found out from Siri that most of the women were put out by how far it was on to get to on the bus (about 45 mins) and that they really wanted a job with a salary. Siri and I talked and decided that this project just wasnt for them, as we wanted to offer the opportunity to women who wanted freedom to work from home and possibly to use it as a second job. I decided that they just wernt the kind of women I wanted to work with and with his limited english he understood, and together we decided we wanted self motivated women.

There was one women however, who thanked me for providing them with a center to work from. When Siri told me this I began watching her, she seemed different to the other women, and remained quiet, while the others all spoke over each other.

I could see a strength in her eyes, so I said to Siri, we have found 1 lady!

We have told Lalitha to come back and start work in a few days when we have machines.

Beth

I have just spent the weekend in Seenigama, working with people at the foundation. This is a brilliant project and they are doing great work here, my hope is that we can join together to provide work for the women. I have left some fabric for them to make bag samples and my hope is that they will seize the opportunity, however it may be too soon to introduce another party into my project at this early point, we will see.

But thank you to Kushil for welcoming me into the foundation for the weekend, I wish you all the success with future work for project.

Beth 

Today we have ordered a cutting table to be hand made to size to fit in our center. The table will be made by a local carpenter, who is doing us a special price because the work we are doing is supporting local women.

Later today I am heading down south to meet some women living in tsunami affected communities, who have been learning sewing skills to start making a living for themselves and their families, through the 'Foundation of Goodness', whcih is a wonderful project set up after the boxing day tsunami to help rebuild the lives of people in many different surrounding communities badly affected.

My aim is to get samples from as many women as possible, to take back to the uk. I can then offer them work once we have got the orders for the bags. Many of these women have had the opportunity to learn the skills but unfortunatly do not have the opportunity to sell the things they can produce.

Beth

Today we moved into the small center we found. It is part of a local family house and wonderfuly bright, sunny and spacious. Iam so excited to get started and can see this being a great place for the women to come and enjoy working, and is also a place that is safe enough for them to bring their children to run aound freely. We will move the sewing machines in tomorrow and then next week we can bring the women in to begin sewing.

Beth

Today Piyush left to go back to Spain, I had mixed feelings, I didnt want him to go, but also I want to get on with what I came here to do and although he is trying to help, sometimes he was become a little dstracting!! Bye for now Piyush! x

Today is my last day with my mum and cousin Ursula. We have just returned from a rushed visit to Kandy for the weekend. Although it was a little crazy and hetic, I dont regret going. My main reason was to take my mum to Piawalla Elephant orphanage on then way, but we ended up with the slowest driver who seemed to want to stop at every peanut of fruit seller that we passed, I think he must get commision for how many peanuts we buy, so we got there too late to witness the highlight of Piawalla, the elephant bathing. Doesn't sound much but when you are sat in the restaurant at the bottom of the hill, just before the river and suddenly a herd of large elephants come thundering down past where your standing, which it at times it feels like they are heading right for the restaurant, and they plunge into a beautiful river in an idylic unspoilt setting, then its clear why its not to be missed. But we missed it, so we settled for elephant feeding, I guess we cant complain!

Kandy was amazing as usual and a vistit to the temple for my 5th time was as good as ever. My mum managed to get herself another elephant fix and we found one (well you couldnt miss it) in the grounds of the temple. The next morning however we had our best elephant fix ever over breakfast which topped them all. We were in the somewhat run down and jaded, famous queens hotel eating our papya and pinapple when an elephant walks past the window carrying his lunch, which appeared to be a large branch from a tree. That was really was a memorable moment, I think it was then that my mum really realised the beauty and wonder of this exciting country, she didnt want to go home. I think a visit to Kandy next year in time for the famous sreet festival is on the cards.

We went home tired, but happy and I had pleased my mum and gave her her dream to see an elephant up close.

Beth

Today we met the first ladies to join our project. It Sunday, and in Sri Lanka today is a big family day, the beach especially are full of families; playing cricket or football, having BBQs, pick nicks and long walks oh and I have to mentions it is also lovers day, everywhere along the beach you can find couples sitting close together whispering in each others ears, or hiding under umbrellas doing a more than whispering! It’s a great day of the week to really experience Sri Lanka culture at its best, so I decided to take my mum and Piyush to Mount Lavina beach to see just what I meant.

After a exploring the popular end of the beach, we decided to get off the tourist track and head away from the crowds. This turned out to more of a cultural experience than we expected and soon we found our selves amongst families who actually lived alone the beach. We saw row after row of run down, tsunami affected houses nestled along the shores of the beach, some little more than cardboard boxes, with bin liners for a roof, and corrugated iron walls if they were lucky. They were also unlucky enough to have their homes almost onto the main train lines that take train after train, all day and late into the night, to the southern beaches and towns of Sri Lanka. It didn’t seem right to find such run down living conditions, still with visible signs of bad tsunami damage, just half hour from the center of Colombo, and even worst with the famous 5 star Mount Lavina hotel just a stones throw away along the beach.

However within minutes of entering their small community we were surrounded by children, who had abandoned their cricket game to welcome these foreign visitors to their end of the beach. The children of Sri Lanka never cease to dazzle me, as their beauty is outstanding so natural and unspoilt, and their inquisitive nature so typical of the children you meet here. Before long we were lead across a heap of rubbish and bricks, away from the shore and into their humble village. We were greeted with the warmest welcome and soon we were drinking King Coconuts picked straight off the trees in their garden.

This is when I knew my idea for making Eco bags was about to spring into reality. After talking with some of the women and meeting their families I told them of my idea for the project and asked if they were interested. Within minutes we were taken to another house and she was showing us her sowing machines. I was overwhelmed and felt tears welling in my eyes, it was really happening; I know there is a long way to go, but now I know this has started. We told the ladies to find us more women and told them we would return in a few days to show them our bag samples and to leave them some fabric so they can make test bags for us.

After buying all the families some milk for the babies, we left feeling full of joy and warmth, whatever happens now I now I am off!!!

Beth

Wow, I have just finally left hospital after a 7 day visit there to recover from dengue fever, crazy and I still have no idea really has just happened to me, and the best part of it is that my life seems to have just turned around, which is funny seeing as I was at deaths door. One minute I was fine relaxing in Hikkadawa in a small guest house by the beach, then within about 2 hours I felt sick and suddenly my legs and knees felt like tree two branches that someone was swinging on, like they were about to break, and then came the fever.

The local owners of the guest house assured me it was just a fever. However after a night of very high temperature, sweating and shivering, with aching all through my body, I visited the local doctor the next morning, only to find that she just laughed it off as a common fever and prescribed me with an overload of uless drug, and said it will be gone in about 7 days. After 4 days it was still going strong and none of the symptomes had subsided, and I hadnt kept any water or food down. So this time a trip to the local 'private' hospital seemed a better idea. Thought seemed promising and   I made the hour journey in a three wheeler, which I dont recomend at the best of times. Again the digonosis was 'its just a fever', but what kind of innocent fever makes your pulse weaken in your hands to the point you cant hold them up for more than a few seconds.

After 5 days and no sign of improvement, and with no one around me who could help, or who seemed to take it more seriously than 'just a fever', I decided to move to a proper hotel where the staff actually took care of their guests. However on the 6th i started hemorging, so that was it I knew this wasn't going to disepear after 7 days, so the next day I managed somehow to get myself to Colombo, a 3 hour driver I will never forget.

Finally I was in good hands, and I was quickly digonosed with Dengue, however I wasnt out of the woods and my blood platlets were dropping by the day, so much that I was very close to a blood transfusion. Thats when things really turned around, and Piyush came to help me, and funny enough turned out to have the same blood group as me to do the transfusion. I met him in May only twice at his restaurant in Spain, we really clicked but I was going off to Sri Lanka and him to Paraguay. But as soon as he heard I was ill he rushed to see me, and slept in the chair by my bed for the first 3 nights so if I was really sick he could wake up quickly. I soon realised I didnt want to be apart from him.

Beth

I feel like my life has begun again and the first place I am going   is to find somewhere to eat   masala dosa!!  

I have now been in sri lanka for two weeks now, which has actually gone really slow and I feel I have achieved a lot. Found a place to live for a while as a base, decided which printer I definately dont want to work with to print my cards, made my first eco bag by a local woman (the wife of my three wheeler driver), mades some friends, met the owner of a wonderful and inspiring handloom shop and gallery called Barefoot, and somehow managed to find some brilliant local women who work for womens projects to giude me on my project. Not bad really, although i still feel I could have done more, but thats because I know there is still so much to do. Just relaxing by the beach and rewarding myself with a night away from the city. But the best part by far has been the sense of pride I saw in my three wheeler drivers face when he showed me the bag his wife had so skillful and professionaly produced, and the pride he took in being part of something more worthy of him, its nice to give someone hope, because this too gives me hope.

Now for the next step designing labels and tags then getting the bags out in the market and promoting them, will start by putting a few on ebay as an imediate income would be welcome and in the mean time if you have any ideas the will be more than welcome.

By the way Sri Lanka is wonderful I highly recomend it especially this time of year, and the people are so greatful for tourists.

Beth

 Today I went to photograph the project Emerge at work, they were holding a special workshop in which the girls had the chance to teach other girls the skills they had learnt. What struck me when I walked into the room was colour, everywhere, bright, vibrant, strong and bold colours, The colourful long skirts and blouses the girls were wearing, the orange and green saris the women had draped around them, the brightly coloured and shiny beads which were lovingly being made, and the sun that poured into this room bringing with it life, hope and laughter.

Alia Whitney-Johnson had gone out to Sri Lanka to do voluntary work after the tsunami and came across a group of young teenage girls who had been survivors of rape and incest. The young girls had sadly and traumatically been sent away from their family and community and therefore had very little support and their chance of a bright future did not look good. After building a safe area for the girls, Alia worked with them and set up an enterprising project to teach the girls how to make jewellery, providing a direct income for each girl. Emerge has provided them with hope for the future by offering them an opportunity to create a positive future for themselves, and also empowers them to become self reliant.

Emerge is a truly inspiring project and continues to move me. For me the story of Emerge is an embodiment of hope, in many ways; in that is has changed the lives of these girls, which I have no doubt will have a positive ripple affect and will radiate outwards, and also the story of Alia and how she believed in a dream and has built something that I believe to be an inspiration to many people and proves that we are all capable of achieving great things. 

Thank you Alia for welcoming me into your project for the day, what you have done is wondeful.

Beth

I am finally relaxing and opening my eyes to see all the beauty that surrounds me in this wonderful country, it is slowly creeping into my heart and I am feeling a strong sense of belonging here which is giving me a lot of strength, I have been told by quite a few Sri Lankan people here that I am a lot like a Sinhalese girl, which is nice. I have been still for a while in Unawatuna and this has given me the opportunity to meet people, understand the culture and to have time to think about what I am doing, oh and learn some Sinhalese! 

The one thing that I am really in awe of about this culture is the wonderful appreciation for feminine energy, by men as well as women. The women I have noticed are the real back bone of this country and although, things are very traditional in the roles of men and women and the women are not as free as we are in our culture, they still really hold things together and men seem to be very dependant on them.

Men walk around in swaying sarongs, and are still dazzled by women in sari. Men just seem to appreciate all that is feminine here and embrace it, life is slower and things seem worth waiting for. Buddha’s are painted in beautiful colours that seem almost childlike and playful. Flowers in all colours fill the temples, and people take time to make offerings for the Buddha’s and to sit with their families and sing together. Incense wafts out of houses with open doors, whilst women sit sewing. People marry and mostly stay together and both men and women take pride in raising their children, the love, warmth and commitment that is shown by men to their children is wonderful.

However life feels a little restrained, and being women here is sadly a little limited. Finding Sri Lanka women to talk to seems quite a challenge. Men are the face of Sri Lanka and I am finding that to get anywhere I want to in this country involves interacting with men and this at times can be quite frustrating, as men do not have close friendship with women as we do in our culture so can create a few unwanted problems and attention!!

I am planning to join a project I came across on the internet before I left the UK, called Emerge, which is based near Colombo, and help out with a work shop for the day. It will be all women and I am so looking forward having some female company. 

Beth