Mr. P. Nachiar 
I just arrived back in Pondicherry from spending a week in Madurai, and what a whirlwind! Madurai is where my market bags are going to be made. I met with the CEO and staff of ETCIndia and what a great meeting. We got a lot of logistics sorted out, business plan and contracts discussed, and had an inspiring brainstorm on the future for all the farmers and laborers involved. I visited the shops and some homes of people that will be working, and visited the farms where the cotton will be grown and harvested. Right now in a village outside of Dindigul,which is a town north of Madurai, the farmers and laborers just finished a harvest and we are going take this production for our first round of fair trade bags! The pics above are just a few that I have just finished resizing for the web, and alot more are on the way. I am so excited because I got to meet everyone; the farmers,field laborers,spinners,weavers, and the family of stitchers. From exchanging questions and answers through my translator in the villages, I am acutely aware of how family-oriented each process will be. Most of the workers in each process (from picking cotton to stitching) are entirely related and dependent on this work, and through the success of my project, they will be able to live a better existence and their children will be able to reap the benefits. Its a family affair- which is really a soft spot for me because I hold my own family in my thoughts and prayers constantly. I will be posting alot more detailed information and pictures in the days to come about my trip.
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