Successes in our lives are often linked to another’s involvement, and our completed stories are often a step-by-step process. For artisan group Ashirwad, the first step began in 1989, when Margaret Devadson founded the group in response to a request from North America and a need in Kolkata, India.



In 1989, Devadson was working with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) India’s child sponsorship program. Through the program, North Americans assist individuals by providing monthly support. As a way of saying thank you to the sponsors, MCC sent a Christmas greeting card with a star to the sponsors. One sponsor wrote back asking, “Why don’t you get a group together to make stars?



From there, Devadson and a group of eight women began the journey of forming Ashirwad. Although a compassionate person, Devadson emphasized that it’s not a charity. The women need to have skills; training generally takes about one and a half months. Though Devadson doesn’t take credit for the women’s success, it’s her love for people that has kept her going over the years.



“It’s not the money that comes in,” she says, “but seeing people’s lives changed in beautiful ways.” She enjoys interacting with people and being exposed to different lives. “When I hear about all that others are facing, it helps me to be grateful for what I have.”



Manzabi Khan, is one of the 12 women who had the opportunity to learn from Devadson. She’s been a part of Ashirwad since the beginning. Every Thursday, all the women meet at Devadson’s home. The women bring their products for quality control, and pick up new supplies. Today, Khan does all of the quality control and helps with training. Working one-on-one with each woman, she checks and measures every item—noticing things that others miss.



Much of Khan’s success in life can be linked to her work at Ashirwad. Like many Indian women, she lives for her children. Earnings from the past 19 years were often used for her children’s education and family necessities. With an arranged marriage at the age of 15, she dropped out of school in 8th grade after giving birth to her first daughter. She was 16 years old at the time. She now hopes to give to her children the education she was not able to attain. Today, her children are well educated, and all four of them speak English well. Her first daughter was sponsored thru MCC’s program and today, that daughter is working on her MBA while holding a part-time job.



Aparna Sarkar has worked with Ashirwad for only two years, but has proved to be a fast learner. Learning from both Devadson and Khan, she now helps teach the other women. Sarkar enjoys the companionship received by working with the other women—in addition to receiving an income.



In order for Ashirwad to continue being a blessing to others in the future, Devadson wants to train someone in the administration work. With the recent larger orders, her next step is to build a larger reserve to hire an administrator.