What do sewing machines, business consultants, purses and Thailand have in common? The Momentum Group (TMG)!  Here is one story of how TMG helped folks make a difference in Thailand

Purses + Contract Work = Family Life

Imagine this choice: You could work in a factory almost every waking hour for small pay and hope your children were doing ok raising themselves or absent the factory option, you could be a prostitute at night, keep some food on that table and see your children (but lose your self-esteem, health and hope) OR you could learn to sew, have a sewing machine in your home, work flexible hours and support your family, with your children near you in the home. Which would you choose?

Every mother I know would leap for the third choice. Often, in Thailand, women from poverty stricken rural areas are faced with only the first two choices, grueling lives in the factory or prostitution.

Thanks to several dedicated people, and help from TMG, many women in Bangkok, Thailand have had an opportunity to learn to sew beautiful purses, which are then  marketed around the world.  In addition, they’re able to take on contract factory work in their homes that is both flexible and fitting to their unique situations.  These women work flexible shifts, some from their own homes, share childcare when necessary, provide for their families and can raise their children in dignity. All it took was sewing machines, material, willing teachers, willing students, someone to market the goods and a lot of love.

Sounds easy, but like looking at the underside of a tapestry, the nitty-gritty details, all those threads that must be woven together to create something beautiful, are often very challenging for the compassionate-socially-conscious micro-enterprise enthusiast. That’s where TMG came in. We helped create solid buisness foundations and systems that would ensure the sustainability of the enterprises. We also helped connect those with critical expertise (sewing, marketing) with the “idea people.” The result was restored families, women living in dignity instead of prostitution and children growing up healthy with a good education.