Emerge Blog

A Day in the Life of an Emerge Participant...

2011-12-20T14:06:00.009-05:00

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Emerge Sale in Michigan!

2010-01-28T21:54:00.002-05:00

There will be an Emerge sale this Sunday, January 31st, after each service at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lansing in East Lansing, Michigan. The Unitarian Church, with its emphasis on social justice and equality, is excited to hold an Emerge sale to help the girls in Sri Lanka. The Emerge sale will be run by Ann Sojka, who has participated and volunteered in various Emerge

Kulturasia DBA Bead Express Donates $3500 of Beads to Emerge Global

2010-01-09T18:45:00.003-05:00

I always look forward to coming home for the holidays- not only because I get to see my friends and family, but because I get to visit some long-time Emerge Global supporters who run a bead company here in Asheville, NC. Kulturasia DBA Bead Express isn’t your traditional bead store- it’s are a store on wheels, peddling its beautiful jewels across the country. Will and Hae, who run the company,

A Year in Review: 9 Images from 2009

2009-12-31T16:25:00.004-05:00

We know the following images are a little small, so feel free to download your very own pdf of our Year in Review document here: http://emergeglobal.org/files/Emerge_9_Images_from_2009.pdf"We’d like to dedicate this year’s work to the first class of 18 girls we worked with, more than four years ago. Without them, Emerge would never have existed. Their input, participation, growth and struggles

Happy Holidays from the Emerge Team

2009-12-22T17:14:00.004-05:00

You + Emerge Global = Empowered Girls in Sri Lanka

2009-12-18T14:47:00.003-05:00

Dearest Emerge Family,As 2009 comes to a close, all of Emerge Global would like to thank you for your support. Your generosity has given us the opportunity to reach nearly 100 girls this year who have survived abuse, helping them to celebrate their own sense of beauty and self-worth, save for their futures, develop their financial literacy, and begin to generate ideas for their own businesses. If

Upcoming Holiday Sales

2009-11-24T19:13:00.004-05:00

The holiday season is (almost) upon us. This December there are more places and opportunities to buy Emerge jewelry than ever before, and we've compiled them all below:Onlinewww.emergeglobal.etsy.comBostonMIT Holiday Sale - December 2nd, 3rd, and 4th from 10 AM to 4 PM in MIT's Lobby 10Boston College Fair Trade Bazaar - Thursday December 10th from 9 AM to 5 PM in Boston College's Gasson Hall,

Emerge Chapters and My love for Google Docs!

2009-11-22T23:36:00.005-05:00

Hi Emerge Community!My name is Lyndz and I have been working with Emerge this Fall to coordinate Emerge Chapters across the country. We hope that this mechanism of our organization will be more than just a fundraising arm, as we aim to inspire each member to enact change in their communities and beyond.So far we have 6 College Chapters at MIT, Indiana University, Michigan State University,

Sell Baby, Sell

2009-11-20T19:17:00.004-05:00

Since coming back to the USA in October, I've been focused on Emerge jewelry sales in addition to coordinating Emerge's US team. I love selling Emerge jewelry. It's incredibly rewarding to speak to customers and spread the story of how and why our jewelry was created, and every product we sell reminds me of one of our beautiful and persevering young girls in Sri Lanka.This holiday season we've

Emerge Jewelry Featured in Photo Blog: "Prettiest Leaf of the Fall"

2009-11-13T03:08:00.003-05:00

A friend of mine posted a blog that I thought was too beautiful not to share. Check out the incredible fall colors of Boston and how they complement our Fall/Winter Emerge jewelry collection! I'm so glad our jewelry got to be a part of this beautiful picture. Now all we need to convince Clare to help us put together our lookbook for potential retailers...Photography: Clare BayleyWeb: http://

A new partnership: Emerge Global and Gorjana

2009-11-10T12:11:00.004-05:00

We are so excited to announce a new partnership between Emerge Global, Inc. and Gorjana & Griffin, Inc. A jewelry designer with a unique vision and a personal touch, Gorjana frequently uses her worldwide reach to further the cause of worthy non-profits. We are so lucky that Gorjana has just completed a design for a charm necklace based on the Emerge lotus flower. You can view the piece, available

Emerge Global/Shecky's Event A Huge Success!

2009-11-05T15:27:00.006-05:00

Last week's Emerge Global sale at Shecky's Boston Girls Night Out was madness from start to finish. The three-day sale, from Tuesday through Thursday, allowed us to meet hundreds of women in the Boston area, both spreading the word about Emerge Global and selling jewelry in the process. By Thursday evening we had sold almost $2000 in jewelry, a phenomenal showing for our first Shecky's event.

Emerge Global Teams Up with Shecky's Girls Night Out!

2009-10-24T16:35:00.001-04:00

Come support Emerge Global and have some fun at Shecky’s Girls Night Out! This Tuesday-Thursday, Oct. 27-29th, 2009Get your friends together for five fabulous hours of shopping (the must-have fashions of the season await you), delicious cocktails, fall-fabulous beauty treatments (time for some serious TLC) and much more. As part of the Emerge Global community, you can take home one of Shecky's

Our New Five-Stage Curriculum

2009-10-18T16:53:00.004-04:00

The new Emerge Bead Program curriculum is divided into five self-paced stages during which each girl takes ownership of her own progression and participates in life skills workshops and community discussions. Most of the curriculum is picture-based, allowing girls of all literacy levels to take part. The final stage, which focuses on teaching the foundations of business, however, includes more

Introducing the Emerge Lanka Foundation

2009-10-18T16:48:00.001-04:00

On July 7th we received the Certificate of Incorporation for Emerge Lanka Foundation, establishing ELF as a charitable company in Sri Lanka under the Companies Act, No. 7 of 2007. Emerge Lanka Foundation is a local Sri Lankan entity that is supported by Emerge Global in the United States, and will be responsible for implementing Emerge Global's programs in Sri Lanka. So

Join Our Mailing List!

2009-10-17T04:50:00.000-04:00

We have a new website in the works, but in the meantime we want to offer you the option to join our email list. And, since we don't have a tech- guru to add it to our current site, we thought we'd add it to our blog. To join our email list, please provide your details below. Thank you! Join the Emerge Global Email List Today! * required Email Address: * Title: First Name: Last

Emerge Global in the Boston Phoenix

2009-07-14T08:04:00.002-04:00

Emerge Global was one of four featured charities in the Boston Phoenix yesterday! Perfect timing for our Boston sale which will be happening at the MIT Student Center tomorrow, Wednesday July 15th, from 10-2pm.Hope to see you there!"Jet-Setting Fashionista If you pretend your wallet isn’t affected by the economic meltdown, never cease your quest for the perfect accessory, and have as obscene a

Fair Trade Boston

2009-06-14T14:47:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, I spent the day selling Emerge jewelry at the first annual Fair Trade Boston event, hosted at the Artists For Humanity epicenter near Boston's waterfront. The event was packed with live music, tasty eats, and beautiful handmade crafts from around the world. It was great to meet like-minded individuals and organizations, and to draw inspiration from their stories and ideas.I found

Emerge Global at "Fair Trade Boston" this Saturday (June 13th)

2009-06-11T10:14:00.002-04:00

Come out and support Emerge Global and the girls we work with this Saturday! Emerge Global is one of Fair Trade Boston's featured vendors. Fair Trade Boston is a FREE event featuring a variety of music, art, food, socially conscious gifts, and more. We will be selling jewelry from 12-6pm at the Artists for Humanity Epicenter. We'd love to see you there!Learn more at: http://

Welcome to our new Sri Lanka Emerginistas!

2009-06-10T09:46:00.011-04:00

We are excited to welcome two new fabulous Emerginistas to our team in Sri Lanka!Rachael Pool (Country Director)- Rachael Pool grew up in Mountain View, Arkansas. In 2007 she received a BA in Philosophy from Bates College. While at Bates, Rachael competed internationally with the Brooks Quimby Debate Council, served as a peer health educator, and worked as a Campus Campaign Manager for Teach

Emerge Global on TV in the Greater Lafayette Region!

2009-06-01T14:42:00.005-04:00

Check out our incredible Sri Lanka Country Director, Ellen Sojka, as she talks about Emerge Global in Lafayette, Indiana!

Emerge Featured in Edwards Angell Palmer and Dodge's Spring Soiree

2009-05-28T10:04:00.009-04:00

Emerge Global with part of our dedicated legal teamFrom right to left: Alia Whitney-Johnson, Katie Galbraith, Akiyo Fujii, Betsy Munnell, and April WachtelIt's not every day that a non-profit of our size secures a dedicated team of probono lawyers to help navigate the legal landscape surrounding international non-profits. And, it's certainly not every day that a group of powerhouse attorneys

US Emerge Volunteer Positions

2009-05-25T12:49:00.003-04:00

What if a necklace could mean a lifetime of freedom and hope for a girl in Sri Lanka? With your help, it can...Emerge Global is currently recruiting highly motivated, creative, and passionate individuals to fill positions on our team in the US! As a young organization, this is a great opportunity to shape our evolving work.Emerge Global is currently recruiting highly motivated, creative, and

Emerge Presentations at Harrison High School

2009-05-18T08:43:00.004-04:00

I don't know how teachers do it. Last week I spoke in six different classes at my alma mater Harrison High School about Emerge Global and my time in Sri Lanka. And it was exhausting. The kids were great, don't get me wrong, but it was a physically draining process and by the end of the day I had déjà vu every time I began my talk.One of the highlights was reconnecting with old teachers, coaches,

Emerge featured on shefinds.com

2009-05-12T17:46:00.004-04:00

Today Emerge Global jewelry was featured at shefinds.com under the article title "Three Ways to Make Your Jewelry Help More Than Just Your Wardrobe." Check out a link to the article here. This is great publicity for us, and I hope that the shefinds community has a blast on our esty site! And also check out the article for other examples of jewelry producers who are trying to make the world a

Excitement in West Lafayette

2009-05-09T07:06:00.002-04:00

I'm from West Lafayette, Indiana, and have returned back home for the month of May to do outreach, sales, and fundraising events for Emerge Global in my hometown. So far, things have been going amazingly well! The following events have already taken place:Thursday Helen Magazine event: $911 in jewelry sold, $2 in donations (photo of Sharon and Susan of Helen Magazine and myself)Friday sale at

Emerge SPRING Time News + May Jewelry Sales

2009-05-04T11:50:00.003-04:00

Spring 2009 has been packed with excitement for Emerge. Our biggest news here in Boston is that we are opening an office at 515 Beacon Street and, thanks to the long-time Emerge supporters Kim and Dave, we have now moved an entire car full of Emerge materials out from underneath my overly-lofted bed and into its new home. Thank you both for helping us move!Another thank you to Jenifer Apazidis,

Get Involved by Joining the Emerge Team!

2009-05-02T11:40:00.001-04:00

What if a necklace could mean a lifetime of freedom and hope for a girl in Sri Lanka? With your help, it can...Emerge Global is currently recruiting highly motivated, creative, and passionate individuals to fill positions on our team in the US and in Sri Lanka! As a young organization, this is a great opportunity to shape our evolving work.Emerge Global is currently recruiting highly motivated

Snapshot from My Recent Trip to Sri Lanka

2009-03-26T10:57:00.001-04:00

I recently returned from a three week trip to Sri Lanka where Ellen, April, Nirukshi and I worked days and nights to plow through all types of Emerge-related work: curriculum development, feedback sessions with the girls, collaboration agreements, legal meetings to start a local non-profit "Emerge Sri Lanka"... the list goes on. Life followed the typical sinusoidal pattern that always comes with

Reflections

2009-01-12T11:35:00.001-05:00

As we move into 2009 and I think of all that Emerge has accomplished in the past year, it's hard to believe that it was just a year-and-a-half ago that Emerge expanded from one student's project to an organization of many hearts and minds. Today, it's hard for me to imagine Emerge without our incredible team.Rewind. 20 months ago.I remember walking at night, knee-deep in water. My arms were

Poetry Can Heal

2008-12-30T11:42:00.002-05:00

On December 12th, I gave an Emerge presentation to Mrs. Nimmer’s creative writing class at Harrison High School. A majority of my talk was about (1) Sri Lanka and the social situation there, (2) stories about the individual girls, and (3) the process of jewelry making. The goal was to give the roughly 25 students context about what the girls we work with go through, so they could translate this

Celebrating the Girls of Emerge through Holiday Sales

2008-12-14T11:06:00.004-05:00

Balimkiz Senman, Alia Whitney-Johnson, Danielle Whited, and Lyndz Steeves sell Emerge jewelry in MIT's Lobby 10This December, we have already generated more than $7700 in sales, all of which directly benefits the girls of Emerge by generating savings and helping sustain our program!How do we celebrate the holidays Emerge Style? With piles of colorful jewelry, bundles of handmade drawstring bags,

Support Our Girls by Purchasing Their Beautiful Creations

2008-11-05T14:15:00.002-05:00

New products are in and they have been posted in our etsy store! To check our girls' incredible creations, see: EmergeGlobal.etsy.com By purchasing Emerge jewelry, you become a part of our story and a part of an individual girl's story as well. All proceeds go directly to the creator's savings, funding for her shelter and community, and to sustain the program. What better gift for the upcoming

Emerge at "Stand Up Against Poverty" Event

2008-10-18T13:54:00.004-04:00

Alia Whitney-Johnson spoke at "Stand Up and Take Action Against Poverty" on October 17th. The event was hosted at Harvard as part of a international movement, in which millions of people took part last year.More than 100 students from MIT, Harvard, Northeastern, and Brandeis gathered together at the event to learn from students and organizations working to fight poverty. At the end of the night,

Emerge at Sant Bani's Education Conference

2008-10-10T21:16:00.019-04:00

What does it take to help a person believe in herself? And, with this belief, what does it take to help her act upon her vision?In both Sri Lanka and the United States, we are learning together- learning to have confidence in our abilities, learning to communicate our ideas, and learning to work with one another to affect change. We are learning to believe in ourselves, and to channel both our

Reflections on Emerge Global's Growth

2008-10-07T23:36:00.009-04:00

Last week, as inspired MIT students crowded around a table to discuss the direction of Emerge Global, I couldn't help but think back to the spring of 2007. Just a year and a half ago, I took a semester off from MIT to make my third trip to Sri Lanka to conduct beading workshops for 20 persevering young girls. At the heart of these workshops were the emerging voices of the girls I had encountered

Welcome to Our New Emerge Officers

2008-10-06T12:08:00.003-04:00

As a growing organization with big hopes, we rely not only on the generosity of our many individual donors but also on an inspired and dedicated group of long-term volunteers. It is my pleasure to announce the following officers, who will be volunteering their time to Emerge for the next year:Assistant Director- Nour Abdul-RazzakDevelopment Officer- Lauren O'TooleOperations Officer- Dilini

Fundraiser in Houston: Building the Emerge Global Community

2008-09-05T14:24:00.007-04:00

After nearly missing my connecting flight from Chicago to Houston due to engine trouble back in Boston, I arrived at the Houston airport just before midnight, greeted by the enthusiastic smiles of Medha Karve and Madhavi Padval, two long-term supporters of Emerge. They eagerly asked me for the latest updates on Emerge in the car, excited about the event that would be hosted the following day at

Fundraiser in West Lafayette

2008-08-09T11:41:00.006-04:00

I knew the event in West Lafayette I had been planning for months was going to turn out well when at 7:15 PM, fifteen minutes before the scheduled start time, I saw people walking in the door. Although it meant I had a little less time to put the last–minute finishing touches on my presentation, it was fabulous to see people so excited to come that they arrived early!I was born and raised in

Mission: The Language of Our Goals

2008-07-30T17:00:00.004-04:00

I'm excited to announce that we have a mission!Emerge Global is a community that empowers women who have survived abuse to rediscover and celebrate their personal beauty, develop their self-sufficiency, and become leaders within their own communities.Building off of my last blog about our mission, let me explain the wording and thought process of our word choice:"Emerge Global is a community that

Emerge in the Journal and Courier

2008-07-23T09:00:00.004-04:00

Dear Friends,I hope each of you is having a great summer! I'd like to share two pieces of news with you:Emerge is in the news today!The Journal and Courier (West Lafayette's local paper) ran a story on Emerge today! You can read the article online at: http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080723/NEWS/807230310 The story highlights Ellen Sojka's work with Emerge. Ellen is a recent

Emerge Global's Essence: What Goes Into a Mission?

2008-07-18T17:16:00.002-04:00

I sit on my bed. Papers are strewn everywhere, devoured with doodles, scribbled writing, and colorful boxes. I can’t fit enough on any page. I have a whole pack of markers in front of me, a highlighter, and of course, ample sticky notes. As I jot down my thoughts, I continually ask myself "but what is the essence of what we are doing?" and "why?". I know Emerge through my gut. That is what I

2008 Summer Intern

2008-07-11T11:55:00.004-04:00

By Melodie Kao, MIT 2010This summer, I am interning full-time with Emerge, sponsored by MIT’s Program for Human Rights and Justice. A rising junior at MIT, I am a rower majoring in Physics and concentrating in Architecture. My passion for all types of design led me to Alia this past February, who asked me to join Emerge’s Bead Committee after noticing that I had made my own earrings. I

Beth Shepherd, Photographer, Launches Card Collection to Benefit Emerge

2008-06-11T16:09:00.005-04:00

In Spring 2007, Beth Shepherd read about Emerge online. The next thing she knew, Beth made her way to Sri Lanka as a volunteer.While volunteering in Sri Lanka, Beth visited an Emerge jewelry workshop. She is now launching her new collection of cards to benefit Emerge, entitling it "The Colour of Hope." Her website describes her experience with Emerge:http://www.bethshepherd.com/page10.htmOn her

Announcing Our New Emerge Sri Lanka Team

2008-05-27T17:00:00.002-04:00

Four incredible women will pack their bags and head to Sri Lanka in September 2008: Ellen Sojka, Lauren O'Toole, April Wachtel, and Karen Noiva.Ellen Sojka- Emerge Sri Lanka Director- Ellen has a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and minors in Management and Chemistry from MIT. From her involvement in her sorority, Alpha Chi Omega, as well as MIT's Panhellenic Society, Ellen has

Alia Whitney-Johnson is Featured Charitable Person on Thinkgiving.com

2008-05-24T18:15:00.001-04:00

Thinkgiving.com "is a resource for locating charities that are created and managed by young people, celebrities and truly creative and caring individuals." In May 2008, Alia was listed as their Featured Charitable Person. (see: http://www.thinkgiving.com/charity/charitable-people/)

Thank you for your kind words!

2008-05-07T13:30:00.000-04:00

I cannot begin to describe the outpouring of support that flooded my email box after the Boston Globe article. Thank you all for your enthusiasm! It is words like yours that keep us going. I thought I'd share with you all some of the wonderful feedback we have received:"Thank you for making this big impersonal world a smaller, more compassionate one.”“Great programs & initiatives get recognition

Boston Globe Article!

2008-04-24T20:48:00.006-04:00

Today Emerge was featured on the front page of the Lifestyle section in the Boston Globe, and the outpouring of support has been truly inspirational. I can't tell you how many emails I've received from people supporting our organization. The emails usually come in one of three forms:1) I want to buy jewelry but you're Etsy store is sold out!! Help!2) You guys are great! Keep on saving the world

Emerge Founder Speaks at MIT's Global Poverty Initiative

2008-04-20T15:25:00.000-04:00

Alia Whitney-Johnson presented at the MIT Global Poverty Initiative Millennium Campus Conference on April 18-20 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The conference, which hosted other speakers such as Senator John Edwards, Administrator Henrietta Fore, Dr. Paul Farmer, and Amy Smith, aimed to motivate, inspire, and educate students to tackle the many facets of global poverty. Alia was one of 6 students

Emerge at BU's 85 Broads Event

2008-04-15T18:20:00.001-04:00

Ellen and Alia were invited guests to the April 12, 2008 85 Broads conference held at BU. Through their table at the event, the discussed Emerge's activities and mission and solicited support for Emerge's activities. Perhaps most excitingly, they met Lauren O'Toole, the BU Chapter Co-President, who will be working with Emerge in Sri Lanka, beginning Fall 2008!

"I learned, from these amazing girls, what it means to live with resilience and strength, but also what it means to have joy."

2008-04-13T09:30:00.002-04:00

By Charlotta Chung, Emerge Volunteer I came back from Sri Lanka almost 3 months ago, but every day something reminds me of the remarkable girls I came to love in only a month’s time. Whenever I get dressed for the day, I put on a piece of Emerge jewelry and think about the girl who made it. When I turn on my computer, I see the group picture we took, right before we had to say good-bye, and

Emerge Presents at the Leadership Training Institute

2008-04-08T17:00:00.001-04:00

Alia Whitney-Johnson, Emerge Executive Director, and Ellen Sojka, Emerge Business Director, presented at the Leadership Training Institute on April 6, 2008."The goal of the Leadership Training Institute is to teach motivated high school students the philosophy behind leadership, the importance of teamwork, and to promote self-reflection and the comprehension of self-identity." (http://

Harvard College Entrepreneurship Forum Invites Emerge to the Innovation Dinner Series

2008-03-12T20:00:00.001-04:00

On March 11, 2008 Ellen and Alia were the featured guests at the Innovation Dinner Series, hosted by the Harvard College Entrepreneurship Forum. After a short presentation on Emerge, the students joined Alia and Ellen in a discussion about entrepreneurship and new models for social change. Since the discussion, Emerge has been mentioned in at least two entrepreneurship blogs:Xconomy:http://

Emerge is Growing...Woman to Woman

2008-01-22T18:44:00.000-05:00

3 different languages: Sinhala, English, and Sign Language. The workshop was alive beyond the structure that any one language could impose. On this hot and humid Monday, the girls who I had trained over the past two years transformed into teachers for 25 other young women from a variety of backgrounds.The table was full…full of beads and supplies, hearing aids and crutches, small children and

Volunteer Perspectives: First Interactions with the Women of Ma-Sevana

2008-01-21T09:20:00.001-05:00

"Emerge Snapshot" By Dilini Warnakulasuriyarachchi, Emerge VolunteerThe 21st January of 2008 is a day that would forever stay with me in my memory. It began as any other day. Early morning rush to get ready for another day and another meeting. Yet, there was an underlying excitement as well. This was the day I finally got to meet the girls at Ma-Sevana. I have heard many stories about various

Around the Beading Table

2008-01-08T11:00:00.002-05:00

As I glance over Sarasi's shoulder to look at her long, colorful necklace, I feel a tug at my back pocket. "Auntie, auntie." I turn around and glance down to Yohan, my three-year-old trouble maker. His hair is oiled and his apricot and maroon daycare uniform is neatly pressed. His bow tie (yes, bow tie) is cheerful like his smile. He has managed to escape from daycare next door. He looks up with

fresh faces, new life, and overflowing joy

2008-01-04T22:00:00.000-05:00

I am filled up to the brim with joy. No, I am bursting at the seams. It's uncontainable (hence, my second post in one day). I got to see each and every one of my wonderful, incredible, inspiring, persevering girls. My children. My sisters. My family. I squeezed them and played games with them and stuffed my face with chocolate cake with them.Two boys sat on my lap, one on each leg. Another girl

Sri Lankan Arrival: a Team and... Unexpected Company

2008-01-03T22:42:00.000-05:00

4:45am Thursday morning. I arrived in Sri Lanka.Sri Lanka felt calm. Somehow, it didn't overwhelm my senses as usual. I'm not sure if this is the result of growing acclimation to Sri Lanka or if in fact it was more mild than usual. But whatever the reason, it was calm and welcoming, and all the fears and anxieties that had surfaced on the 32+ hour transit subsided as I found myself at home.

MA-SEVANA GIRLS AND OTHERS GET THEIR FIRST VISIT FROM SANTA CLAUSE...

2007-12-28T08:48:00.001-05:00

By Nirukshi de Lanerolle, Edited by Nadiya de LanerolleAs the Emerge Bead Program Coordinator and Sarvodaya’s Donor Relations Manager it had always been my deepest desire to share the beauty of Christmas holidays with the lovely children I work with just as I share it with my loved ones.For many of the young girls and boys, the concept of Santa Claus was an alien one, until a few days ago.Finding

Emerge News: Sponsorship, Gifts With Impact, and Updates from our Holiday Sale

2007-12-17T22:00:00.001-05:00

Happy holidays! Thank you all for making our MIT sale a success! Our best sale yet, we made over $5300! Many of you have contacted me to ask how you can purchase jewelry from other parts of the US (and, in fact, other parts of the world), and the great news is that we plan to start marketing online, hopefully by the end of January 2008. There are other ways you can continue your involvement with

Emerge Founder Speaks to the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center

2007-11-29T17:00:00.001-05:00

On November 28, 2007, Alia presented “Emerge: A Tool for Transformation” at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC). Serving more than 8,500 individuals in 2007, "the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC), established in 1973, was one of the first rape crisis centers in the United States to advocate for and support survivors of sexual assault" (http://www.barcc.org/whoweare.html

MIT Women Reach Out to Emerge Participants Through Letters, Birthday Gifts, and Bundles of Love

2007-10-21T08:55:00.000-04:00

MIT's Women's Independent Living Group (WILG) has added a new dimension to Emerge: young women helping other young women. Nearly half of the 45 members of the women’s living group signed up to provide a girl at Ma-Sevana with a birthday shopping trip, a personalized card, and a small gift. In honor of her birthday, each girl will now get to go shopping and pick out a present of her choice, the

Emerge-Sponsored Field Trip with Sri Lankan Theatre Troup “Janakaraliya”

2007-09-18T11:00:00.000-04:00

On September 17th, 2007 the Sri Lanka Bead Coordinator, Nirukshi, took past and current members of Ma-Sevana along with their children for a day out by the Bolgoda Lake in Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. The girls greeted her early in the morning, anxiously awaiting their trip.Nirukshi worked with “Janakaraliya,” a local theater troupe, to organize games and activities for the day. Janakaraliya created

new bead program coordinator in Sri Lanka!

2007-08-01T23:58:00.000-04:00

I would like to welcome our new Bead Program Coordinator in Sri Lanka, Nirukshi de Lanerolle! We are are so lucky to have her working with us.Nirukshi brings compassion to everything she does. She is not only the mother of her 21 year old daughter, but a mother figure to countless more in Sri Lanka through her work with orphanages and children's programs across the country. In the past, she has

Building the Dream

2007-05-01T14:00:00.000-04:00

13 years old. Imprisoned with female criminals. Pregnant with her father's child. Handcuffed and abused, physically and verbally in the prison system. Forced to testify for years against her own family. Doesn't she too deserve a home? What about education? Respect? Community? She hasn't had ownership over anything in her life...not even her own body.I want to help her and many others in her

A Night of Cricket and War

2007-04-29T12:00:00.000-04:00

There is nothing like having such a tiny country go to the cricket world cup to build a sense of pride and spirit in Sri Lanka. Everywhere I turned, there were signs pasted on store doors reading "Sri Lankans are winners!" There was a buzz in the air. Every Sri Lankan was sure they would beat Australia. I was a bit dubious, but of course enjoyed being scooped up in the enthusiastic atmosphere.It

sketches of life

2007-04-20T01:17:00.000-04:00

I feel so behind in my updates... They are all bottled up inside, waiting to be poured out onto paper. I don't know where to begin. Do I tell you about the Sinhala New Year celebrations? Or the little boy with whom I spent a good 20 minutes exchanging funny faces? Or the family who lives on the street corner? Or updates from Ma-Sevana? This email will be a bit of a sketch, painting small images

NYC to Sri Lanka: Reflections on Distant Worlds

2007-04-19T01:15:00.000-04:00

The wheels hit the airport runway. At last, I was home. My face was glued to the small oval window of row 31. The man sitting next to me looked at me and laughed, "first time in Sri Lanka?" he asked. "No. I live here." I replied. "I live here," I repeated in my mind. Yes, this has become my home. My giddiness probably made me look like an anxious American tourist, the kind who has a camera

"My. Dad. Gone." --Damayanthi

2007-04-04T01:12:00.000-04:00

"My. Dad. Gone."I didn't know what Damayanthi was talking about. But, I knew something was off... her eyes were watery in class today.Damayanthi is one of my biggest helpers. She always stays late after workshops to help me put everything away. She has a meticulous sense of organization and just enough bossiness to get everyone to help clean up and take care of things. She organizes the beads in

afternoon joy

2007-03-19T01:09:00.000-04:00

I stepped outside. 15 girls giggled. Several small children ran around their mother's legs carrying small plastic containers filled with jars of beads. A few girls balanced their boxes on their heads. Other girls stood, arms clutched around their boxes like these boxes were their second child. The atmosphere was happy and I felt like Santa Clause. I distributed bead boxes Saturday.Early Saturday

the richness of communication

2007-03-15T01:06:00.000-04:00

Above all else, Sri Lanka has taught me about communication. People always ask me about the language barrier. While I cannot deny the importance of learning the language of the culture I am in, I have realized that verbal communication is just one facet of a large exchange between individuals. In the States and at MIT, I feel like so much of my life is contained in my mental domain and somehow

progress in sri lanka

2007-03-08T01:03:00.000-05:00

Progress in Sri Lanka is slow but it occurs nonetheless. It's a hot day here. I'm not sure whether that is because I just returned from a quick trip to England (for an interview) or if it is because we are approaching April which is arguably one of the hottest months here and also when the rains begin again. Perhaps it is some of both. Jet-lagged from yesterday's flight and sweating, I pulled

tiny hands gone forever

2007-02-26T02:56:00.000-05:00

Haunting images of a tiny baby. I couldn't sleep. Dreams. Vivid dreams. I haven't had one so real in so long. I was in a strange place—somewhere I had never been. I found a baby who nobody could look after. It just needed to be held. So I held it tight, really close, trying to figure out what I would do. I awoke. I was clutching the pillow next to me. The dream was so real. I fell back asleep,

When there are no words

2007-02-14T07:12:00.000-05:00

On a day for caring, I learned about abandonment. On a day for friends, I learned about distance. On a day for love, I learned about sadness. Yet, on this Valentine's Day, I also learned that there is no need for language to express emotion or love and that we all need to love and be loved in return. In some capacity, despite today's sorrows and intensity, I feel that my love for the world grew.

Finding Harsha

2007-01-25T05:35:00.000-05:00

The girls stand clustered together, all different heights, in matching, red-checkered dresses, their hands clutched behind their backs. Their eyes shift back and forth to one another as they giggle. It's a true fairytale for them-- the opening ceremony of a girls home in Galle, Southern Sri Lanka. A woman from my office leans over to explain to me that the pot a short man is placing over an