"I work two days a week, Saturday and Sunday, and I rest the other five days so I have time to pray to Buddha. I live in Myanmar and visit my family during the week. You see this powder? The Burmese call it thanaka. It is good for old ladies like me. It makes my skin look so young. The girls in other countries use too much makeup. This is all natural and much better on the skin. I am now 59 years old and I look so young! When I get to the grave at 90 my skin will still make me look 20."
- shoe store lady, bangkok, 59
"I came to work at Villageworks Production Center after divorcing my husband. I get to work with multiple colors of fabric, and my favorite color is light blue - the one we use to make the elephant ornaments. This job is very important to me because it can support my family as my parents can no longer work in their old age. I give half of my salary to them and save the rest. My coworkers are like my family and they give me courage because they are very friendly and do not discriminate.
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I found Christ here at Villageworks. He has helped me look back at my most painful memories and find peace in my circumstances. I have plans for my future, too. One day, I hope to dig a well for my family in the province where I will have a small business raising chickens and pigs."
- len, phnom penh, villageworks, source: nominetwork.org
"I learned how to play guitar a few months ago. Now I can play any song by hearing the chords and making a melody. I am studying Japanese at my university. One day I hope to travel the world."
- student, hanoi, 19
"I love my job here. It is very important to me because I now have the money to support my family the best I can. I instruct coworkers on sewing and designing bags and check the final quality of bags before we distribute them. My family struggles with finances because we had to pull out multiple loans for medical treatment for my son and husband. My biggest dream is to pay back all of the debt from this medical treatment.
Although we have these struggles I am very proud of the work I am doing because I now have job skills that will be useful for my future in this industry."
- soklay, phnom penh, villageworks, source: nominetwork.org
