December 2008 Newsletter
Newsletter - 4 December 2008
Walking through the Freeset building one thing
is clear, we’re not just on about bags. A simple
question is sufficient to dispel any doubts:
“Amader Babsha Kishe” (What’s our
business?).
The reply comes from the women quickly and
in unison – “Mukti” (freedom).
When Mina & I walk around Sonagacchi (and
other red light areas) the same word is on our
minds. Mina does most of the talking and I’m
there to support her. The women are so used
to men strolling past trying to decide which one
of them they will choose they are surprised
when we want to talk about their freedom.
After all, most of them are doing what they have
to do to survive and the question of freedom is
a luxury they dare not think about. Then they get
to hear a freedom story first hand as Mina tells
her story again and again to anyone who will
listen. It doesn’t take long for a few women to
gather around Mina as her story unfolds. Then
the questions come: “Do you think I could come
to Freeset? Will you take me?
Do you think I could learn to sew?
How much does it pay?
What about my children?” Some have the
courage to take the first step of visiting Freeset
while others can’t quite grasp the idea that they
could be free just yet. For some, freedom is not
a choice that is theirs to make because
they don’t own their bodies.
On 1st December twenty new women began three months training and
started their freedom journey at Freeset. They represent a
number of red light areas around the city as
word has got around that freedom is on offer.
Some of you may be thinking, how can you take
on more women during a recession when many
are being laid off? We do need to be careful
and are minimising the risk. We live as
a community in tension where business needs
to be healthy and freedom must be on offer to
the 10,000 women who “still stand in line.”
When you think about your role in selling Freeset
products, please don’t under estimate it – your
ongoing business means ongoing freedom.
How’s that for motivation?
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