A garland of stars in every shade of blue, with sequins and silver sparkles, beads and batik. This garland is made by a group of women who use the name Ashirwad, which means "blessings." The group originally met weekly in the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) office in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta). Now they work in their own homes and gather together weekly at a home in the suburbs of Kolkata. All of the women are socially and economically disadvantaged.