OUR ARTISANS

work from home in the villages

In a remote village in Central Java where daily life once centered on rice farming, women are now able to enjoy the flexibility to work from home and bring in much needed income while still being able to look after children and elderly parents. They expertly weave the hand-crafted teak or rosewood pieces that are carefully shaped and sanded in the factory from repurposed wood that would otherwise be burnt. So, by purchasing a hip-o product, not only are you helping to ensure a brighter future for the next generations, you are also supporting the practice of responsible sourcing. The beauty and durability of teak and rosewood means that you can enjoy your hip-o items for many years to come.

happy with less

For many of the people that work in the villages in Central Java, life is all about surviving. In a country that is known for government corruption, these villagers are very much at the bottom of the ladder. But, like so many people born into adversity, these people have learned how to find happiness and build loving families with what they have. On my last visit I saw a group of kids playing soccer. There was a field with home-made goal posts, but not a single uniform, shin guard or soccer cleat in sight. In fact, none of them are even wearing shoes! Despite the huge water puddles the kids were happy just to be playing. Elsewhere in the village, people get on with their work cheerfully and try to make the best of what little they have.

VILLAGE JOBS AND QUALITY OF LIFE

For many people growing up in the remote villages, there is very little opportunity to improve their lives. They don’t own enough land to support themselves, and employment opportunities are disappearing. Many men work long days in the rice fields, but as landowners find more profitable ways to use their land, rice fields are disappearing. Work is dependent on weather, since rice in Central Java can normally only be grown during the wet season. With monthly incomes around $93 per month, almost all families struggle to survive.

Part of our goal is to not just give work to these people, but we also try to improve their quality of life. Our factory is staffed anywhere from 80% to 85% by women. Then we take materials produced at the factory and deliver them to homes in the village where the women can work from home. This allows them to continue looking after children and parents (extended families are very much the norm) while also generating income. It is not unusual for one of our “work at home” ladies to make up to three times as much as her husband on any given day! This brings money into the village, improving the lives of everybody. Being able to work allows these families to have things we take for granted, such as power, lighting, and maybe a fridge or a small TV! 

GIVING BACK

Education for the children in these villages is the only means to better their lives moving forward – especially for girls. Our daughter, Holly, who is a high school student, has started a fund-raising program as her senior project to raise money for the village school. We donate some of our products to be used as “Thank you gifts” to our customers, and along with the gift we include a thank you card that invites our customers to visit our website and learn a little more about the plight of these kids. If they would like to contribute to the program, it will increase the number of girls we can help. The program is called “School for Suri”, named after the first girl we have been able to help. Please check out the School for Suri section of our site.