From Manure to Silk

Women in Southeast Asia receive paying jobs working with silk.

Covenant missionaries serving in Southeast Asia introduced Covenant World Relief to Dara. She leads an organization that has been equipping and empowering villagers to participate in the production of high quality silk. Dara told us that there are twenty-five separate jobs involved in the process—from raising cattle that produce manure to be used as fertilizer for mulberry trees, to raising silk worms that feed on the mulberry leaves, to spinning, dyeing, and weaving silk material, and finally to international marketing. The government of this country recognized the impact that Dara and her organization have made in rural areas. They invited Dara to begin work in a province where the government has been resettling ethnic minority villagers. Dara and her organization are providing training and livelihoods to these displaced people. Dara is a strong believer who sees this as a tremendous opportunity to serve marginalized people and demonstrate the love of Jesus to them. CWR has the privilege to be able to partner in this wonderful program.