Rachael and I (Jennifer) got back a couple of weeks ago from a very productive trip to Malaysia. We made contact with a long-term Emerge supporter who was able to help us find several potential sources for high-quality glass beads. There were several stores, with all of our favorite bead styles and colors, and even better, the price was much lower than we’ve paid in the past. This is a great opportunity for Emerge to cut costs and pour more of the sales price back into the girls’ hands, so we were pretty excited.
It was also really eye-opening to see such a developed country after 7 months in the field. We were amazed by everything, the smooth roads, the cosmopolitan atmosphere, the lack of harrassment, the hot shower, just everything. I can only imagine what our girls would have thought if they were there. Giving the girls opportunities like that is a huge motivation for living and working in Sri Lanka. If we can see the girls learn new skills, get good jobs, and reach their potential then it will all be worthwhile.
So Malaysia was both a productive and an inspiring time for us both. … Now back to work!