Azizah from Bebe Sachi came to Sheffield for the day in October and made a huge impression on us all. Her passion for the Bebe Sachi social enterprise is infectious and inspiring, connecting us with other families across the world. Nafeesa, (one of our peer supporters) tells us about her day exploring a woven wrap company with a heart in social justice.
When I first heard of Bebe Sachi a few years ago, my babywearing days were almost over with my second child. I was aware that these wraps were made in Bangladesh and that impressed me so much, however as I wasn’t carrying much, I did not give myself the opportunity to learn more about them, and I wish I had!
Almost 4 years later, I have a third baby, and I have come back to the world of babywearing. Just like returning to a place that you once lived in, things have changed, and so much for the better in many ways! This time round, I decided to really get involved with Bebe Sachi. I own three beautiful wraps which give my little girl and myself so much joy to use. When I choose wraps, they need to have a very special meaning to me. As a Bengali myself, I absolutely love that my carriers have a real cultural connection for me, so when Rosie told me that Azizah herself was coming to visit us at The Snug, I was pretty excited!
Meeting Azizah herself was an absolute joy. As she stepped into the Snug, the already positive vibe became even more phenomenal! The morning session consisted of Wrappers Delight, and every participant had the joy and privilege of playing with some of the beautiful wraps Azizah had bought along. I immediately spotted the beautiful Sutera Nilam Jati (a silk blend wrap) and swooped my little girl up onto my back before she knew what was happening! We all had great fun geeking out over wrapping qualities, feeling the tactile delight of hand woven fabric and listen to Azizah tell us the amazing stories behind the wraps.
In the afternoon we settled down to listen to Azizah talk about the Asian Handloom and its preservation. I have to admit for the first time I realised the magnitude of its importance and truly appreciate what the Bebe Sachi project is doing for traditional hand weavers in Bangladesh. Textiles are a big part of my Bangladeshi culture and heritage. As a child I used to follow the kantha stitching with my fingers over the tablecloths my mother had embroidered. I remember going to Bangladesh as a child and looking at the number of beautiful saris on display and think about the work that would have gone into producing each one. I speak to my mother regularly on the phone and she had mentioned her sadness at how much the textiles industry had changed, and that mass produced factory textiles had created such an impact on traditional family businesses.
I came to realise during that talk how personal each Bebe Sachi piece actually was, and that in itself is incredibly special. My eyes welled up listening to the personal stories of the weavers. Realising that so much heart goes into making a carrier was so humbling for me, and something that gives me goosebumps when I look at my own wraps and think about the stories behind each one..
I had to leave early to do the school pick up but came home with what I can only describe as having a heart full of inspiration, pride for what Azizah and Rita do and hope that their project continues to empower communities to sustain their craft indefinitely. It was an absolute pleasure to meet her and truly appreciate what Bebe Sachi are doing. I really hope we get to meet again soon.
Read more about Bebe Sachi and their social enterprise at www.bebesachi.com and on facebook at www.facebook.com/bebesachi/
