Help those in Need with Charity Bags

Laga Handbags Combo

Another option to consider when buying an Indonesian handmade handbag is to shop for charity bags (or charity purses). Charity bags are made by those in Indonesia who need the money for daily food and supplies. Some companies in the United States offer to buy the handbags and resell them to Americans or through the Internet. A few companies will even train the workers and provide sewing and embroidery supplies to work with. One such company is Laga Handbags (online), which helps women who were survivors of the tragic tsunami of 2006 in Sumatra, Indonesia. The women workers of Indonesia are able to learn skills for a lifetime while providing a valuable service to handbag lovers.

When choosing a company for handmade handbags, research online to find companies that offer authentic Indonesian handbags, not replicas. The real handmade handbags are usually priced from 35 up to 399, depending on the style and size of the bag. Companies should provide detailed information about how and where the handbags are obtained, and where the company is located. Look for companies that are upfront about their procedures and customer policies.

A handmade handbag from Indonesia can also be a memorable surprise as a gift for Mother’s Day, Christmas, birthdays, or other occasions. The handbags are reliable and affordable, and the remarkable craftsmanship of Indonesian women makes them highly desirable in the fashion world. Go online today to find that perfect  for you!

Laga Handbags Combo

Today Laga Handbags was invited to participate once again in Hollywood United Methodist Church’s pre-holiday “Alternate Christmas Mart” shopping event. I have to say, since having met this truly amazing group of people two years ago, my life has been enriched.

Reverend Kathy Cooper-Ledesma is one of the most sincere church leaders I have had the pleasure of meeting… We have appreciated her support of the work we endeavor to accomplish in Aceh with and for the tsunami survivors there, and she has such a wonderful heart. It is evident that this church body stands in the gap for its community; how blessed we are to know them.

Our dear friends Rae Sowell and her husband Jay are dedicated members at HUMC. It was Rae who was instrumental in getting our foot in the proverbial door at HUMC. She is such a genuine and giving person, and you just know that she always thinks of others before herself. She is always offering to help us in any way she can, and is faithful in spreading the “Laga” story to all who will listen… We just love you, Rae! And thank you so much for the scones and coffee this morning!

Another member is Pauley Perrette, who plays “Abby” on the hit TV show NCIS. We first met Pauley last year when she purchased some of our handbags at HUMC. We met her again today, as she ranted and raved about our Laga bags! “I gave my sister a Laga bag and to this day she tells me time and time again that it’s her favorite bag and that she just LOVES it!”

Pauley was so generous as to purchase several more bags from us today, and she posed with Roy for a picture. She also autographed a postcard for us to give to one of our dear volunteers, Louise Bauwin, who we mentioned to her is such a fan of NCIS and is always faithful to tape all the episodes so she does not miss seeing “Abby.”

I also met another amazing lady today. I believe her name is Linda. She is a beautiful lady with white hair in a wheelchair and we chatted as she admired our bags on the table. She shared with me that she was partially blind and partially deaf, and that she was turning 100 years old on January 19^th ~ can you imagine? I told her that my birthday was January 7^th and she said, “You’re a Capricorn! Do you know who was the most wonderful Capricorn who ever lived? Jesus!” That was something I had never heard before, or even thought of. I will always treasure my little chat with Linda today. And I’m glad that Roy took a picture of us together~

All in all, it was a beautiful day at HUMC. Thank you to all who made our day so special! And we look forward to the next time we have the privilege of seeing you all again!

We at Laga Designs are proud to announce our specialized handbag training program for the handicapped in Banda Aceh. Having been involved in the rehabilitation and rebuilding process after the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia, we have taken yet another step in our effort to reach those most in need. We asked our manager/trainer, Hana, to write a summary regarding the new handicap training program we are providing:

     “We are partnering with LCI ( Leonard Cheshire International) which exists in 55 countries around the world. This idea came up when LCI came to Banda Aceh after the tsunami with a great passion to train and develop the handicapped here. LCI heard about Laga Designs which has been conducting training on the making of Aceh traditional handbags. They came to us asking to partner with them in helping the handicapped so that they could have the same work opportunity as those who are fully functional. 

     “We conducted the first training in November 2007 in  Laga Designs’ workshop.

      “Ten candidates joined the training; eight were mute and deaf since they were born, one didn’t have one hand and the other hand was without fingers, and one had a deformed foot. There was only one who did not qualify to attend the training course.     

“Impression during the training:

     “The women had a great willingness to learn, which was evident by their commitment to attend every class even though they lived far away from the training workshop. Since it was sometimes difficult to communicate with them, we used a lot of visual samples and had to be very patient in explaining the instructions over and over again.     

“After the twelfth day of training which was held daily from 9am to 5pm, three women were already able to do the embroidery. They now work from home since our workshop is quite far, coming in to the workshop only to bring in the finished handbags.

     “On February 19, 2008 we begin another handicapped training course for another eight women.”

We are truly excited to be able to provide yet another way to rehabilitate victims of disaster and are dedicated to finding new ways to help those in need.