GIGDEV, Girls Growth and Development

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What a fantastic experience we have all had today. GIGDEV, is a project aimed at girls Growth and Development. Girls form the surrounding areas come to the GIGDEV sites and stay as boarders and learn a trade, hairdressing, dressmaking and cooking. Today they held a tie and die workshop. For 110,000CD we had a lesson in Batik and tie dying, we had 3 yards of material, cold water and a beautiful meal of jollif rice.
The lesson was similar to the meeting I had with everything being repeated several times in syllables of one or two, but the delivery was great and the speakers very knowledgeable. There were about 15 white people most of us volunteers sitting around the table receiving our instructions. We then watched a practical demonstration. Consider that it was about 30+C, there were fires around to heat up water for the batik and the wax and the sheds we were sitting under were tin. It was HOT!!! We all tried to stand under the shade but it was not always possible but you couldn’t be in the sunlight for very long either. Madam Sofia showed us how to fold and tie 3 different patterns for tie dying and showed us how to handle the wax patterns. She was very patient and we were all getting very excited about making our own patterns and then makeing some clothes from that.
There was the usual confusion about who wanted what material , some people wanting to divide the material so they could do both tie dying and batik and others who just wanted to do one.
Sian chose to do both and made a beautiful pattern and then died it the most lovely purlle. She has little baby footprints on it and pineappples and hands. sounds a wierd combination but it looks really lovely. she is now perfecting the art of using it to carry things on her back and she has become expert at tying it around her so that it doesn't fall off. My bath towel still falls off so I have failed that class miserably. Richard tied a long piece of green material and died it in yellow and it looks fantastic and Asiah has already made it into a shirt and it looks just Richard. Marc also tied a peice of material with Richards help and has also had a great pair of trousers made from it. Huw was very parient and was the last to Batik his material. He was very clever as he had no one trying to rush him and he produced the most artistic piece of the day. We all love it so much that we won't let him make anything out of it and it is currently used as a tablecloth on high days and holy days!! (we don't have too many of those!!)
I had a piece of yellow material and tied it and died it in green and it looks really lovely, very Australian...I am having a dress made from it and I am hoping it will do my lovely material justice.
The gilrs at GIGDEV are really lovely and enjoy meeting and talking with everyone. Every time Sian and I cycle past there quarters they all shout and wave to us and we try and visit them sometimes, life is so hectic though...
We spent the whole morning working very industriously on our materials but the girls worked even harder, washing the dyes out and the wax off and they helped make the day a real joy. We were so surprised when they served us the best jollif rice we have eaten so far. It was really tasty and fresh and we all indulged in a little seconds...
The two Austrian nurses came back for a cold drink and pineapple and then had to leave and a Dutch volunteer we have made friends with also came back for a drink. We are so settled and hapy here that it will be so hard to leave and face reality again.
At the moment we are having a brilliant time pleasing no one but ourselves and it is a great experience, one we are not used to, but are learning to like very much.
Well folks that pretty much brings you up to date with our adventures. We are having a visitor next week. A very dear friend of mine who I have not seen in several years. He was a doctor I worked with in Australia and it is bizarre to be meeting up with him in Africa!! He is currently doing some voluntary work in Liberia.
Take care everyone, you are all in our thoughts. xooxoxox

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