Newtown Quakers Support Right Sharing of World Resources
Jennifer and Tony Wolf (center) with Right Sharing Country Directors Dr. Abi Murugensan (left) and Mr. N Purushothan (right).
Last October, when Newtown Meeting decided to partner with Right Sharing of World Resources on the Ramanathpuram Project in India’s state of Tamil Nadu, members Jennifer and Tony Wolf were thrilled because they had already planned a three-week trip to India for January 2024. Since Ramanathapuram is a six-hour train ride from their base in Kerela, they were eager to visit.
On January 17th, Tony and Jennifer were welcomed with garlands, rose petals and bright smiles by 36 participants! They were led by Right Sharing country directors, Dr. Abi Murugesan and Mr. Purushothan, who greeted them the day before to explain the project. A young woman of 30, Dr Abi Murugesan is herself the granddaughter of a Right Sharing participant!
Mrs. Jeya Kumari
The project is managed by a dynamic village activist, Mrs. Jeya Kumari, who founded and heads the Jeyam Rural Women’s Society. In addition to giving loans, Jeyam provides job training, practical business advice and assistance in obtaining health and education benefits.
Assembled in a colorfully decorated community hall, two groups of children performed traditional dances for Jennifer and Tony. It was then the women’s turn to introduce themselves and tell their stories. They ranged from young mothers to grandmothers. Since no one spoke English, Abi translated.
A blind woman holding her infant explained how the program is helping her, with her blind husband’s support, to purchase, grind, and sell rice flour.
A widow in her sixties told how the program’s micro loan enabled her to start a tailoring business for which she received training on one of the center’s treadle Singer sewing machines.
A few women talked of their long bus trips to the town market where they each purchase ten kilos of dried fish. Loading their heavy baskets on to the crowded bus, they return to resell the fish at a small profit in the village market.
The Right Sharing idea is to provide micro loans to poor women who repay over time with interest. The money then becomes a revolving fund to support more women. By funding 36 women this year, more than a hundred will be funded within three years thanks to the repayments.
Tony and Jennifer share a typical South Indian lunch served on banana leaf with rice, vegetable curries, pappadum, and curd.
As a gesture of our Meeting’s partnership, Jennifer presented the women with a framed print of Edward Hicks’s Peaceable Kingdom. With translation help, Jennifer told how the lion, lamb and child live together in peace.
Tony made an attempt to speak a few minutes in Tamil which he recalled a bit from his two years with the Peace Corps in India in the 1960s.
Tony and Jennifer promised the women they would convey their gratitude and love to Newtown Meeting members and especially to the children who raised money from their Lasagna Supper.