Empowering Women Through weaving

The year was 2018 and I was in a transition season not knowing what the future would like, but I had and still have this deep conviction within my heart that God who created me in His image has a plan and purpose for me because the Bible says in Jeremiah 29:11; “ For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope”

Knowing that God has and will always have a plan for me I began to seek Him for his leading; that He would guide and lead me and it was in that time of seeking Him that I sensed in my heart that He wanted me to learn how to weave. Initially my response was thinking that learning to weave was a way God would heal my heart which desperately needed healing then-I was more focused on how the weaving would be beneficial to me but God spoke clearly that whatever I would learn I had to teach it to refugee women. Then it did not make sense but today as I think of what we have experienced together with the women who have passed through our doors I see clearly that it was God’s plan all along to empower the women, give them an opportunity to earn income and in the process find healing, restoration and be integrated into the local community.

I have found that by the simple act of providing a place to learn with other women, there is a sense that develops within the women that their lives matter, the work they do matters and that their lives are important to us. I never went to school to study weaving or how it helps regain a sense of being and worth but I have seen over the years that providing a place to learn and then weave; we are providing a source of income and at the same time there is the sense that we are in the process helping foster a sense of psychological healing from the trauma they all experienced in their journeys. For some especially those who come from cultures where grandparents and parents used to weave we help in restoring part of their cultural identity and heritage. We have loved watching women who have never had bank accounts now own bank accounts in their own names, we have loved seeing women receive their first pay check and the freedom, sense of pride and joy that brings to these women who now can say they contribute to the family income. These women step into a total new zone in life as they start learning how to spend their money wise and be responsible for their lives and the lives of their children. Because most of our women come from countries where women are treated as second class citizens we have thoroughly loved watching this women become financially independent and the dignity that brings to them.

We welcome women from all kind of backgrounds and we have mostly attracted women we have zero to no chance of finding employment in the local economy due to many reasons the main one being that they have no education, they cannot read or write and some of them suffer emotionally, so weaving has truly helped us in showing these women that lack of education is no reason why they shouldn’t enjoy earning an income.

There are many other reasons why weaving is very important to us as a skill to pass to the women in their process of healing and restoration. Below are a few of them:

• Economic Self-Reliance: Weaving provides a regular, safe income, reducing dependence on aid and enabling women to afford basic needs like food, health care, and education for their children.

• Psychological and Emotional Support: The act of weaving acts as a therapeutic, meditative, and cathartic process that helps women process traumatic experiences. It provides a "safe space" to share stories, build community, and reduce feelings of isolation, anxiety, and despair.

• Cultural Preservation and Identity: Many refugee women are carriers of traditional knowledge. Weaving allows them to keep their heritage alive and pass it down to younger generations, maintaining a link to their roots.

• Skill Development and Entrepreneurship: Programs often include training in business management, marketing, and product design, equipping women with skills to manage their own businesses, participate in cooperatives, and engage in the global economy. ( this is one area we would like to invest in in the future)

• Restored Dignity and Leadership: By creating high-quality, market-ready products, women move from a state of being "passive aid recipients" to "active producers". This shift increases their self-worth, confidence, and leadership roles within their households and communities.