Day 12: Henna hands

Yesterday (Day 11) was another day of sewing and today was busy busy busy! I went off to the sewing center and left Maureen behind to do computer work and catch up with herself.

I interviewed two potential candidates for supervisor position of the sewing space. Two lovely women, each with unique skills came to apply for the job. I’m not sure which one would be best. One can start on next Wednesday and the other on the fifteenth. That about cinches it for me since I leave next Tuesday, and we need someone to be there to let the sewers in and keep track of things by the 31st.

We spent some time with a lovely man who came to explain how the pay roll works and everyone had a chance to voice their concerns and get the details ironed out. it seems everyone is pleased with the end result. This is difficult for me since I don’t understand the intricacies of India law around these things though I do keep asking questions. I so want these wonderful women to feel happy doing this work and being part of The MoonCatcher Project.

Our new friend Vicrum came over with his beautiful wife to take a look at the place today. He had such nice things to say about the order of everything and the efficiency. That meant a lot to me since he runs a factory of over two hundred people. This is small potatoes for him, so it was especially kind that he took the time and was so generous with his praise.

The lights came on and off all day, so we had to keep moving sewers to the cutting tables or to stringing cording or packing. It’s hard to have five women around our not-so-big table all working but somehow we managed, and everyone was good natured about it. I love it that we laugh even though we don’t speak the same language. I somehow feel like I know these women though we speak only in gestures and smiles.

Maureen came later in the day and everyone was happy to see her. At the end of the day one of our sewers offered to paint our hands with henna. It was so much fun to see how this is done. I had no idea that it goes on in a thick line squeezed from a little, delicate, pastry-like tube and is done freehand by the artist. The designs are intricate and elegant. We loved the whole process. After about 45 minutes my hands started to itch and apparently that can be a signal that it’s time to brush and then wash the dried upper coating off. What appears looks soft and dull. I was a little disappointed until I was told that by morning it would be dark and gorgeous. I’m excited to see how it will look.