All this talk of galleries, and museums and awards makes me hungry for something down-to-earth. Take a look at AColourfulJourney.com
The ladies of Nepal’s Sammunat Project tug at my heartstrings and remind me of other meaningful lessons that polymer clay can offer. Their fashion items become income, education for their children, food, medicine, and hope for a brighter future.
Australia’s Wendy Moore (these are her polymer dolls) has been spearheading this remarkable project with a group of Nepalese friends. The project assists abused women by teaching them beading and business skills. On the blog, they eloquently recount their own stories. (Disclaimer: I put the website together for them. The content’s all theirs.)
“We hope that each woman will understand that she is not merely a victim of violence but a talented, capable and valuable woman with strong inner resources and access to external resources,” says Wendy.
Please sign up for their email list so that you can be notified when they get through the bureacratic hurdles and hoops in the way of their online store. Clicking on the donation button will help too. Their tag line says it all…look good, feel good, do good.
Melanie Muir ,
Cynthia, many, many thanks for such a timely post. Today I heard that I did not get in to a prestigious art programme. I also attended the funeral of a friend’s husband who killed himself last week at the age of 46. My husband sent through a writ for divorce which arrived unexpectedly in the post this morning. And then I read some of the womens’ stories from Nepal. Can you guess how easy it was for me to put my own little life challenges into perspective? It also made it even easier to press the donate button. Well done for bringing this to our attention, and I hope the clay manufacturers can see their way to donating supplies.
VAharoni ,
Beautiful.
Valerie ,
I have been very fortunate to make friends via the Internet with some wonderful African women through a nature conservation org in Africa. We’re trying to raise $$ for running water to a small village called Dixie. I am always amazed by their resilience and talent and am not surprised at all to see polymer clay utilized in such a way to bring much needed attention to their struggles.
Beautiful creations!
Jeannie ,
The detail just blows me away. These are beautiful.
Sera ,
Wendy is an amazing woman. Her selflessness in driving this project after facing her own health issues continues to humble me. Not only that – her polymer work rocks! I teach regular classes at the home of a woman who has one of Wendy’s dolls on the mantlepiece – and they get comments every single time.
You make me feel proud to be an Aussie today, Miss Wendy!
Sabine ,
This is just a fabulous project. Wendy shows such a wonderful example of how effective action at local level is vs the big company sponsorships where most donations are absorbed by the bureaucracy. One can do so much more in this way. A big hurrayyyyy to all those tireless people giving real time and energy to such projects and others for donating to keep them going. Now all we need is for our polyclay suppliers to stock these wonderful wares for sale via their websites. Thank you Cynthia for creating their website. You’re a genius.
Melanie, my heart goes out to you. Your story resonates with me. I also always try to focus on the plight of others to put my personnal woes into perspective. There is always someone doing it tougher than myself. Put on a great piece of polyclay jewelry, look in the mirror and create something from your heart. we’re all in this together.
Christine Ritchey ,
Wendy is wonderful to take on this worthwhile project and you’re great for helping! Thanks so much for bringing this to our attention. I didn’t even hesitate when I clicked on the Donate button! I’ll keep these brave and resilliant ladies in my heart and in my thoughts. I adore every single item they’ll be offering for sale. Can’t wait for the on-line store to open so I can go shopping!
Wendy Moore ,
The usual late response from Nepal! Giddy with excitement reading this. But I’m more cheering along than spearheading! Thank you all for the fabulous encouragement, comments and donations. In two weeks we will be claying on a full size table and sitting on chairs. Heaven. The ladies adore the pasta machines, extruders, clay and cutters we got in Australia with money from face to face sales and donations. I’ve even heard mutterings about a pasta machine motor. Talk about hooked!
And, as always, massive thanks to Cynthia who has had such a profound impact on us all here!
Cynthia Becker ,
Cynthia, what a beautiful website you created for the ladies of Nepal’s Sammunat Project! Like Melanie Muir said in an earlier comment, the life challenges these women face put my own life in perspective. I’ll be ready to order one of those bracelets when they clear the hurdles to sell online.
Aleksandra Mici? ,
I have to say that since I am a bit new on the net finding Polymer Clay Daily has been really encouraging and revealing and inspiring. It is really a great thing you are doing for artists and anyone of creative mind and even beyond.
I am so happy for these women to have such an opportunity given and that a response to this post was such. Wish that this kind of help could, no, would spread globaly. Art has helped many people in their worst times, it is just a small support that is needed. I hope we all do our own contribution to the needed by what we can give – if not money than our talent. Each one can teach someone something that could help that person live a better life.
Wendy Moore, a marvelous example.
Eakes’ polymer gifts ,
[…] on the site of the Sammunat project. The Australian government has recently provided grant money to this project that assists abused […]