Parveen, Noah's Ark

Parveen is 26 years old and is married with one daughter. He has 2 brothers and one sister.

He is the oldest son and at the age of 11 he quit school in the 5^th grade because he had to start working.He was from a poor family although both his parents worked part time. He has been working for 15 years at first helping his own family and now supporting his wife and daughter.

Noah’s Ark International found him working at his craft displaying ‘Patchwork stitching and Wallhangings' in his little shop in his village of Delhi . It was a new type of craft that they were looking for and thought would sell well. He was very good at it. Parveen is very creative and designs all of his own products.He just see’s a design or pictures a design and then makes it. He has 10 people working for him mostly women who do all the sewing. His wife works for him too.

He doesn’t see himself doing any other job but designing and sewing products out of material. He goes to the local market to buy the raw materials he needs and then designs.Most materials for the patch work are scraps from other projects. He will make things that customers want, that’s not a problem. But no two items will be the same.

He is very thankful for Noah’s Ark International because they help him in anything he needs like micro loans, advice and steady work. He doesn’t envision ever leaving the organization because they help him so much and they have a very good working relationship.

His plans for the future is to be able to send their daughter off to a good school so she can get a good job with a large corporation. Perhaps travel abroad. Of course a BIG dream would be that they move to North America but right now he just wants to work and provide for his family. He loves his work and he wants the stores in Canada just to sell more so he can make more patch work products and wallhangings. He is proud of his designs and wants the world to see them so perhaps they will buy them. He hopes the customers will appreciate the hand made products.

Interview by Anne