Give a man a fish...

Rising Star Outreach does micro-lending for people in leprosy colonies to help thm start small business so they cna learn to become more self-sufficient and avoid a life of inevitable begging that awaits so many that are associated with leprosy.  Even those who do not suffer from the disease themselves but have relatives that do, suffer from discrimination.  This week I was privileged enough to see two of these businesses in action and even help support them.  One of them is called, "Pearls with a Purpose" while the other doesn't really have a name ( at least not that I know of) and sells art.  Pearls for a purpose is done by a group of ladies who do not actually have leprosy but can't find work because their relative have leprosy.  They make beautiful necklaces and bracelets out of real pearls.   The art business is done through a small art school in a colony called Bharathapuram.  Some of the artists are relatives of someone who is leprosy-afflicted while others actually suffer from the disease themselves.  It is truly magnificent to see how they create such beautiful works of art when they don't even have fingers to hold a paintbrush.

I love that this organization doesn't just hand out donations but rather donates their time and focuses on giving these people opportunities to grow, learn and become self-sufficient.  It is the perfect example of the old saying, "give a man a fish and feed him
 for a day, teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime."

the women making the jewelry

checking out the art :)

My friend got to meet the artist of the painting he bough

the painting I bought

the pearls I bought... spoiler alert... a necklace for each grandma and the bracelet for mom :)