Published: January 15th 2009
January 17th 2009
January 17th 2009
How it all Started … News from January 2009…
It is with great excitement that I write this blog. It has been a long held dream of mine and many of the disabled women that Lifestart Foundation helps, to open the first not for profit shop in Hoi An. In December 2008 I was fortunate to be in a position to rent a fabulous shop and work space for the women. A small group of local w... Read Full EntryThere are more photos below
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Karen Leonard has resided in Essendon, Australia, all of her life. For the past thirty years she has successfully run a small business in Essendon, The Karen Leonard Music School.
A dedicated traveler since the age of eighteen, Karen has visited many countries. In 2000 while backpacking through Vietnam, Karen met a young street kid and they had an instant connection. He introduced Karen to his world, his fellow street kid friends and their families. It wasn't long before Karen was supporting several street kids by encouraging them back to school and paying their education costs. After retu... full info
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Vietnam
The conquest of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and was completed by 1884. It became part of French Indochina in 1887. Independence was declared after World War II, but the French continued to rule until 1954 when they were defeated by Communist forc...more info
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INITIAL TRAINING CLASSES
To ensure the women's work was of the highest standard each stage of making was lovingly critiqued by Sherry.
HANH
Hanh is pictured crotcheting scarves at home. She is a paraplegic and finds it difficult to sit for prolonged periods of time. Each scarf takes several days to make.
TAM
Tam is pictured learning to make Mosiac note cards.
NGUYEN
Nguyen started out making all of the card designs and envelopes and was also part of the quality control group. She now makes some of the most difficult cards and also the sock creatures. She has also passed on her skills by training many new workshop members
HELEN & SUE
Helen and Sue are Lifestart Foundation supporters from Melbourne, Australia. They are pictured here at their market stall where they sold potted plants and home-made goodies. All proceeds from their market days go directly to helping the womens group in Hoi An. All the money they raised was paying for the rent on the Viettown shop.
TU
Karen's eldest son, Tu, helped transfer the ladies in and out of their wheelchairs and three wheel motor bikes everyday when the workshop started. Now all but one are able to transfer themselves.
MISS DUNG
A keen English student and Lifestart Foundation Jobstart recipient. Miss Dung managed the orginal Viettown workshop shop.
Comments
Date: 15th January 2009
Congratulations
Congratulations Karen (and Sherry) for creating something so wonderful for these women. I was privileged to be able to meet them on a Lifestart fund raising cycle tour of Vitenam in November 2008. They are such a lovely bunch of happy ladies and their smiles said it all. To see the difference Lifestart has made to each of their lives was a wonderful experience. I hope one day to be able to get back to Hoi An to help. I urge anyone who reads this comment to help support Lifestart. The work they do is inspiring.
From Blog: LIFESTART FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
Congratulations
Congratulations Karen (and Sherry) for creating something so wonderful for these women. I was privileged to be able to meet them on a Lifestart fund raising cycle tour of Vitenam in November 2008. They are such a lovely bunch of happy ladies and their smiles said it all. To see the difference Lifestart has made to each of their lives was a wonderful experience. I hope one day to be able to get back to Hoi An to help. I urge anyone who reads this comment to help support Lifestart. The work they do is inspiring.
From Blog: LIFESTART FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
Date: 17th January 2009
Heartening
On my recent trip to VN before Xmas 2008, I visited the workshop with my two children. It was heartening to see the ladies in a cheerful, supportive environment, putting in their best effort to strive for self-sufficiency. Lara & Wesley had the tasks of choosing the cards to support these women. They democratically spread the support around and chose a card from each of the ladies in the group. I am sure other visitors will be willing the lend their small (or big) support. Congrats Karen, I hope this will take off further with your planned “marketing” plan. Sherry, I am so impressed with your artful touch and more so with your brilliant way of applying and translating art into productive, concrete, delightful products which will help the women fulfilling their dream of becoming financially self-sufficient.
From Blog: LIFESTART FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
Heartening
On my recent trip to VN before Xmas 2008, I visited the workshop with my two children. It was heartening to see the ladies in a cheerful, supportive environment, putting in their best effort to strive for self-sufficiency. Lara & Wesley had the tasks of choosing the cards to support these women. They democratically spread the support around and chose a card from each of the ladies in the group. I am sure other visitors will be willing the lend their small (or big) support. Congrats Karen, I hope this will take off further with your planned “marketing” plan. Sherry, I am so impressed with your artful touch and more so with your brilliant way of applying and translating art into productive, concrete, delightful products which will help the women fulfilling their dream of becoming financially self-sufficient.
From Blog: LIFESTART FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
Date: 19th January 2009
Very proud of you mum! You're an inspiration. Jx
From Blog: LIFESTART FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
Very proud of you mum! You're an inspiration. Jx
From Blog: LIFESTART FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
Date: 22nd January 2009
Fantastic work
Wow, what fantastic work. Can't wait to purchase on line. Jay
From Blog: LIFESTART FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
Fantastic work
Wow, what fantastic work. Can't wait to purchase on line. Jay
From Blog: LIFESTART FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
Date: 31st March 2009
What beautiful items. Just wondering which market Helen and Sue are at in Melbourne? Love reading your blog
From Blog: LIFESTART FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
What beautiful items. Just wondering which market Helen and Sue are at in Melbourne? Love reading your blog
From Blog: LIFESTART FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
Date: 31st March 2009
Learning and Working
Very impressive. Great works.
From Blog: LIFESTART FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
Learning and Working
Very impressive. Great works.
From Blog: LIFESTART FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
Date: 7th June 2009
What a beautiful shop!
This is our visit to Ho An and we made our way to the Lifestart Foundation shop as soon as we could. It was lovely to meet some of those beautiful inspiring women and to purchase some of their work. I'll be doing what I can to encourage others to visit. Everyone involved with this project is to be congratulated on the wonderful work you're doing. Peace and love. Michelle
From Blog: LIFESTART FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
What a beautiful shop!
This is our visit to Ho An and we made our way to the Lifestart Foundation shop as soon as we could. It was lovely to meet some of those beautiful inspiring women and to purchase some of their work. I'll be doing what I can to encourage others to visit. Everyone involved with this project is to be congratulated on the wonderful work you're doing. Peace and love. Michelle
From Blog: LIFESTART FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
Date: 2nd December 2009
Cards
The peace dove cards look so beautiful, I wonder, can I purchase them online? I would love to give them as gifts!
From Blog: LIFESTART FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
Cards
The peace dove cards look so beautiful, I wonder, can I purchase them online? I would love to give them as gifts!
From Blog: LIFESTART FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
Date: 3rd January 2010
Hi Karen and the Lifestart Foundation team, COngratulation for the successful results (income earning capability) for all those women. So very inspiring. This Christmas I must say that I was unusually very classy. I wore a white skirt with a white top. THey are all about 28 years old. On my shoulder I wore the beautiful red silk bag made by Miss Lieu. My people had seen my skirt and top 1000 times before but wow they all made comments on the silk bag! Are diaries and nice notebook dear in Vietnam,? how about putting designs on these? We can buy them for presents and people will keep them for a year. About the bamboo vases such a good idea! Light and unbreakable! Would lacquer red or blue or black possible? Recycling plastic bottles. Wow I enjoy the cards, the sock doll (Miss Molly dolly is well,) and the bookmarks. Very best wishes, Tam
From Blog: LIFESTART FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
Hi Karen and the Lifestart Foundation team, COngratulation for the successful results (income earning capability) for all those women. So very inspiring. This Christmas I must say that I was unusually very classy. I wore a white skirt with a white top. THey are all about 28 years old. On my shoulder I wore the beautiful red silk bag made by Miss Lieu. My people had seen my skirt and top 1000 times before but wow they all made comments on the silk bag! Are diaries and nice notebook dear in Vietnam,? how about putting designs on these? We can buy them for presents and people will keep them for a year. About the bamboo vases such a good idea! Light and unbreakable! Would lacquer red or blue or black possible? Recycling plastic bottles. Wow I enjoy the cards, the sock doll (Miss Molly dolly is well,) and the bookmarks. Very best wishes, Tam
From Blog: LIFESTART FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
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Karen Chun
non-member comment
Fantastic progress
Wow! How fast you and the girls have moved since I saw you last summer. The products are beautiful and know you will have a great success!
From Blog: LIFESTART FOUNDATION WORKSHOP