The children in Sarnelli are in school, of course, so our day was spent visiting the Good Shepherd Sisters in Nongkhai. The doyenne of the community is Sister Mary, above, a doughty 89 years old and many many miles from her native Ireland which she left in 1939.The work of the Good Shephers here parallels the work in Pattaya, empowering women through work. They provide workshops enabling disadvantaged women to earn a living sewing, weaving, and engaged in other handicrafts. Some of these ladies might be forced into moving south and taking undesirable work in the bars if there was no work for them in their native north east. Others have already taken the road south and returned.
There will be opportunities to purchase their work - t-shirts, purses and bags in striking designs - from our website later in the year. Sign up for the enews to be kept informed of when these products will be available.
