ONE  minute video & read Bono’s comments

To order, email info@onemother.org and include the style #’s.   We will be glad to assist you.

All  prices include tax.

Quilts     $85

Scarves  $32

Set of 4 placemats   $48

Zipper pouches (set of 3)   $15

If you would like to order one of our throw sized blankets, please email info@onemother.org.

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The women have continued to work non-stop through the spring and summer months.  In August, we received our largest shipment thus far.  ONE MOTHER plans to be at various fair-trade and alternative giving fairs in the Denver area this fall and holiday season selling our quilts and scarves.  In the meanwhile, we will post pictures of quilts available for purchase on this blog.

There are two additions to the ONE MOTHER program we would like to share:

A generous mom donated funds to purchase and install an air conditioner for the room where the women quilt.   This is a much-needed addition to the room as temperatures reach 110 degrees in the summer, and the room sits atop the TCDS building.   The women will be thrilled, and we are thankful they are more comfortable.

The mothers in the program are doing well; their weights remain stable.  All of their children have been enrolled in school for the current year.  Through ONE MOTHER, the women save money for their children’s school fees which are due every June in full.  This savings program means that the women do not need to go out and secure a high interest loan.

There are currently nine quilters in the ONE MOTHER program:

These women make one-of-a-kind, handmade quilts from seven layers of recycled sari fabric and stitch them together using a traditional Indian kantha stitch (a running stitch).   They are approximately 3 ft. by 6 ft.  We describe the blankets as “throw sized”.  They make a great decorative addition to any couch or chair and are wonderful for snuggling up in the cold months ahead.  They are machine washable in cold water and should be tumbled dry on low.

The cost of each quilt is $85.00.  This includes the sales tax we must collect.  The cost of shipping is $6.00.  If you would like to purchase one of the quilts below, please email  info@onemother.org .

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Sari's used to make quilts and scarves

Update on Shipments

ONE MOTHER did receive small shipments in October, November and December of 2009. Thankfully, all the quilts and scarves sold quickly. We were unable to post any of the items for sale on line. We are expecting our next shipment at end of March. If you would like to be notified when that shipment arrives, please fill out the “get email updates” field on the homepage.

 Below are pictures of quilts the women have made. ONE MOTHER now consists of nine women working diligently and making quality blankets. We hope you like what you see!

Quilts being made at TCDS

We look forward to getting to know you better.  For now, we start with a short introduction to our project via notes from the June 2009 visit to the ONE MOTHER program in India.  Please note this post has been edited.  All pictures of  the women and their children have been removed.    In India, people with HIV are subject to stigma and discrimination.  The women asked that we not post any pictures on the Internet.

Recap of ONE MOTHER Visit 2009

The main objectives of the trip were to work through the details of the partnership between ONE MOTHER and TCDS as well as to assess the progress of the quilt making program.  Our relationship prior to the trip was established and conducted via email.  The differences in culture and long distance communication limited our ability to make informed decisions of significant impact to our project.  Visiting TCDS, Pastor Dhanaraj, his staff and the women in the quilting program was essential to the future of the ONE MOTHER program.

I rejoiced when I saw the progress the women made in the quality of their quilting.   The last samples sent in March were not marketable.  Since that time, Edna, a member of the TCDS staff, worked with the women on the quilting process.  Edna saw kantha stitching in the northern part of India.  Her input was invaluable.  With the quality standards met, the need for outside training was alleviated.  The first two women trained, Surya and Malliga, are now the trainers.  We established it took them 8 months of training to achieve the quality standard we are looking for and to make one quilt in a 5 day period.  They have cut the time to produce one quilt significantly.

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Pastor Dhanaraj, Edna, Vijay (a counselor working with MSM), Arockia Mary (an ex-ambulance nurse and now a member of the TCDS staff), and I discussed requirements for quality control.

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Pastor Dhanaraj, Edna, Malliga, Usha, Suriya Prahba, Arockia Mary and Vijay hold a scroll made by ONE MOTHER volunteer Penny Selden, with a message of best wishes from Bethany Lutheran Church members.

The second and third days at TCDS, Pastor, Suriya, Malliga, and Usha sat down with me to discuss the progress of the program.  Jothi was not at work this day.  Each woman told a little bit of her background.  We asked them what changes could be made to the program that would be beneficial.  The women all requested tables and chairs on which to work.  They were working on the floor previously.  Pastor and I agreed we would supply the tables and chairs.  The women asked about a larger snack while at work.  This request generated discussion about the women’s and their children’s diet and nutrition.  It was decided that we would purchase a stove for them to have in the room where they quilt so that they could prepare hot milk with Horlicks (a nutritional supplement) and they will also take turns preparing a snack or bread made of the high calorie/protein mixture they receive from the government hospital in Vellore.  The staff at TCDS agreed to help them make good tasting meals from the mixture so that they will eat it.   We also discussed with the women how much meat their families are getting each week.  One of the women does not eat meat for religious reasons.  The other two indicated they get about 250 grams of meat for Sunday meals.  Usha told us her last blood work indicated she was anemic.  Dr. Samuel emphasized that nutrition is one of the most important factors in prolonging an HIV positive patient’s lifespan.  HIV increases a patients resting metabolic rate.  When patients are fighting a secondary infection, they need twice the normal amount of calories.  With these facts in mind, ONE MOTHER agreed to supply nutrition packs for the women and their children each week.   The staff at TCDS will include mutton or beef, an egg each day for every member of the family, peanuts, etc.  This nutrition program was funded by Noel Cunningham and Strings Restaurant and will be called the Strings Food Supplement Program.  We agreed to weigh the women monthly and requested that they communicate any changes in their physical condition to Arockia Mary at TCDS. 

The women currently receive their CD4 counts at the Tambaram Community Hospital every 6 months.  They said that if they get sick, they go to Tambaram.  They can be seen there for secondary infections.  Our goal will be to keep them out of Tambaram.  I will follow up on their tuberculosis status.  I am unsure whether they have been tested and/or treated.  Future plans for ONE MOTHER include establishing quarterly clinics and an emergency health plan for each family.

The women indicated that their biggest concern is that they have no savings.  With their health status questionable, this is a great source of stress for them.  Stress can impact their overall health, so minimizing stress is a goal of the program.  In discussions with Pastor, we decided that once the women have been trained in the program and can make a fine quality quilt in 5 days, ONE MOTHER will fund individual savings accounts to be established and then will fund the accounts based on the number of quilts produced.  TCDS will be responsible for opening the accounts in the women’s names and depositing 25 INR per quilt.  Bank statements will be furnished to the ONE MOTHER Board of Directors quarterly.  Initially the women will not have access to these accounts.  This is money set aside for an emergency or it could also be used for starting a business. 

In addition to the bank accounts, a small amount is available for loans to the women.  They can borrow up to 1000 INR at a time.  They will pay back this fund out of their weekly pay. 

The 4^th day was in large part spent discussing the staffing needed from TCDS in order to implement the ONE MOTHER expanded program.  Dr. Samuel, Pam Merrill and I had hoped that we might be able to convince Pastor Dhanaraj to approve his daughter, Nisha, as the program coordinator.  What a blessing it was to hear Pastor had the same idea.  We negotiated her pay and job description.  Nisha will be responsible for quality control, monitoring expenses, purchasing supplies, purchasing snacks and food supplement packages, communicating health concerns, tracking weight and heights of women and children, making deposits into savings accounts, and interviewing potential quilters.

Nisha introducing me to Indian coconuts.

The 5^th day two new women were interviewed for the training program.  B.  Malliga and Karpagam joined the group.   

We visited Jothi’s and Usha’s houses.  Jothi’s has two daughters.  Her younger daughter is HIV positive.  Jothi is living with her sister, (whose husband died recently in an accident) and Jothi’s sister is devoted to keeping Jothi and her daughter well.  Jothi lives so far from the offices that we decided she should work from home from now on. 

 Usha is still married.  They have not told anyone that they are sick.  Their youngest daughter is HIV positive and she doesn’t know it.  Usha also lives far from the offices, but when I mentioned the possibility of working at home, she did not want to because she and the other women have become such friends and she enjoys their company.  This was satisfying to hear because finding a support group is so important for the HIV population. 

 We visited the godowns where the recycled sarees are sold.  I spent some time choosing sarees for the outsides of the quilts. 

Workers sort through sarees at a godown in Chennai.

The last day at TCDS Nisha and I went looking for a washing machine so the quilts can be cleaned before packaging.  We also shopped for a secure cabinet to house the supplies and quilts.  Malliga, Suriya, Vijay, Arockia Mary, Karpagam,  Nisha and I spent time matching up saree fabrics for future use.  We practiced coordinating and choosing the best fabrics.

Before I left TCDS a fashion designer/program volunteer, Jessye Wolfe, came by to visit.  She is from the US and has been in India since January.  We found out about her through a Pastor friend of Pastor Dhanaraj’s.  Jessye was so helpful in color coordination, planning for ONE MOTHER logo to be stitched in each quilt and with thread color choices.  She is scheduled to go back to TCDS again on August 17^th for further design advice. 

Over the course of the visit, I watched ONE MOTHER transform into a program which focuses on the whole person.  We are much better partners to the women and to TCDS.  It was my great honor to get to know the women, Pastor Dhanaraj, his family, and the staff members a little better.  Abbey has two new pen pals – Nahndani and Dayakaran. 

ONE MOTHER will let you know when our first shipment arrives.  Should be early October!