Displaced Peoples

As many of you may know, the Thai-Cambodia border at Preah Vihear has been the scene of a number of squirmishes over the years with both sides claiming sovereignty of a disputed patch of land.

And so it is April!

What a busy, crazy month it has been. Both Nat & I have been very busy doing our other day jobs. Nat is a beauty therapist with 2 small people & I am a public servant also with 2 small people. As you can imagine that takes up lots of our time and energy :) But we happily received a message from Phnom Penh during the week that our new design bags are ready and have been shipped. Cannot wait to receive them!! Of course, pics will be posted just as soon as they arrive. The new t shirts are only a week or 2 behind them. During the past month, I've also had a lot of discussions with a Korean-run NGO in Phnom Penh that employs vulnerable women and pays fair wages to them to process and weave Cambodian silk. This is so exciting to me. And it's the fabric that we are going to use for our cushion covers, pillow slips and quilt covers. I can't wait for you to see them!! Gx

Introducing us....

This is us :)

juet srey

heart sisters

In 2008, Natalie (on right) travelled to Cambodia on a 3 week mission trip and was struck by the overwhelming poverty that entrapped so many families. She returned determined to make a difference.

Then in 2009, my husband James and I had the opportunity to live and work in Cambodia for a 12 month contract with our 2 small people who were 4 years and 1 year at the time. My life was changed forever. Cambodia and her beautiful people have become a part of my heart. I knew I had to continue to somehow support vulnerable Cambodian women and children upon my return to Australia.

And so juet srey was born. With Natalie's amazing creativity and my links with amazing Cambodian NGOs, we are determined to help improving the lives of Cambodian women and therefore, their children.

Gx

New t-shirts ordered from Empowering Cambodia

I have just finished a veritable volley of emails to Empowering Cambodia with orders for gorgeous new t-shirts in beautiful designs fresh from the creative mind of Natalie.  The t-shirts feature cute elephants, owls and deer.  You'll want one for all your small people and yourself!  :)

Our goal is to also place orders within the next 10 days for our full range of luxury children's linen.  We have been fortunate to source exquisite Cambodian silk that has been woven under fair-trade conditions in Phnom Penh and we are so excited about their amazing quality and range.  The range will include single & queen quilts, pillow cases, cushions and toys. 

Personally, I can't wait.  :)))  I have already picked which design both Bella & Beecher will be blessed with in their bedrooms!

Keep watching.  As soon as new stock arrives, I will post pics!

Gwen
x

They need us

When my family lived in Cambodia in 2009 we visited the Phnom Penh dump on a number occasions. It's a sight that's hard to imagine for those of us who live in such a priveleged country as Australia. For on that dump live children and their families, trying to etch a living by sorting through the garbage to find scraps of recyclable material that can be sold to recycling companies. Survival is a daily struggle.

On average these families earn around $1 day, just enough eat one meal a day. Few of the children are able to go to school, as they are needed to work alongside their families to help their family survive.

It's easy to feel helpless and wonder what we can ever do to help a situation like this. How can we save these children? Alone it's a huge job. Maybe too huge. But together we're can make a difference. Support organisations that are supporting these families. Organisations like Empowering Cambodia who provide families with training and employment options so they can move away from the dump and into a life blessed with adequate food, clean drinking water and education for their children.

Gx

Our gorgeous bags have arrived!

After a good-ish day at work, a great work out at the gym I came home to the fantastic news that our new shipment of bags had arrived.  And I LOVE them.  They look even better than I imagined them.  Gorgeous.  In fact, I'm struggling to decide which one I want for myself.  But hey!  Maybe I'll keep one of each  :))

Now, before you look at the photos, please forgive me.  Nat is the creative side of this partnership but she's away for the week and I really want to put these pics up because I know some of you are waiting to see these gorgeous bags! 

As soon as I saw this fabric I loved it.  And I love the finished product! $24

LOVE this one pink girl that I am :)  $24



The chocolates and pinks in this design is gorgeous! $24


 Hope you love them as much as I do!  They're available now and am happy to post interstate and overseas. 
Gwen xx

New shipment of bags has left Phnom Penh!!

The beautiful ladies at Empowering Cambodia have completed sewing our next shipment of bags and they have been shipped from Phnom Penh.  Both Nat and I are so excited to receive these bags. 

In October when I visited Cambodia, I took my wonderful friend Vy shopping to the Psar Olympic(Olympic Market) to find some gorgeous fabrics.  If you are a lover of sewing or creating, you would just love the Psar Olympic.  There are rows and rows of stalls selling fabrics at the most amazing prices.  The colours are so beautiful to see. 


Beautiful Colour Everywhere

 With Vy able to negotiate me some wonderful bargains for some gorgeous fabrics, I had a fantastic time imagining the beautiful designs Nat would come up with!

My beautiful friend Vy xx

Then I had the privelege again visiting the ladies of the Sew Empowered project of Empowering Cambodia.  It was lovely to see them again and be able to talk together about what juet srey aims to accomplish.  

One of our wonderful seamstresses!

Our bags will arrive this week so watch this space for news of their arrival!!

Gwen xx