Transforming lives with ‘Sari Connection’
All kinds of everything from saris: The exhibition at the Barefoot Gallery
On Saturday March 4 to mark International Women’s Day the ‘Sari Connection’ project and its unique products made by seamstresses from Jaffna and Mullaitivu were showcased at the Barefoot Gallery in Colombo.
A novel project, the ‘Sari Connection’ has made waves in the community and is implemented by a Japanese non-profit organization known as PARC Inter-people’s Cooperation (PARCIC)) supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency JICA.
The project produces unique handcrafted goods from up-cycled saris. Their products range from blouses and pants to bags, accessories, cushion covers etc created by women living in Jaffna and Mullaitivu – two conflict affected and tsunami-hit areas in the north of the country, whose lives have been transformed by their engagement in the project.
Through this project, used saris are collected as donations island-wide and refashioned into beautiful clothes and accessories by women’s groups in the North. The revenue generated through sales of these products helps improve the lives of those women. The products are gaining attention especially in the tourist market, and sales have been expanded to major souvenir shops, such as Laksala, Lakpahana and Barefoot Galle.
Speaking of their experiences, and demonstrating how they make bags from used saris, Selvaranchini from Jaffna said the project was a great boon for her to support her family and her aged parents as a single woman who has lost most of her close relatives. The project gives hope for women like her, and an opportunity to express themselves through these activities. Pushpalatha from Mullaitivu said that learning various stitching techniques has given her confidence as a seamstress.
A team from Singer (Sri Lanka) PLC, represented by Koshitha Peramunugamage, head of Singer Business School, donated two boxes of used saris to the project, and provided two sewing machines for demonstration on the day. “Sari Connection” is collecting all kinds of used saris. Contact sariconnection@parcic.org for your sari donation.