![\"\"](\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/06\/DSC_2676_57245.jpg\")
<\/p>\nFORMER Torquay businesswoman Sue Ingpen is raising funds to create on-the-job training for Nepalese women as the country continues to be among the worst affected by COVID-19.<\/p>\n
With up to 9,000 daily cases of the virus reported between mid-April to mid-May, Nepalese artisans are not only facing a health crisis but a severe loss of income.<\/p>\n
Having worked and supported Nepalese families through the Fair Trade Organisation for a number of years, Ms Ingpen is calling on global assistance to help the struggling artisans get through the pandemic.<\/p>\n
As the owner of Ochre Yarn, Ms Ingpen has \u201cspent a lifetime\u201d manufacturing the finest natural fibres the world has to offer including Australian Merino Wool, Cashmere, Baby Bactrian Camel from Mongolia and fine Yak from Tibet.<\/p>\n
After sourcing the best fibres the products end up in the hands of talented Nepalese craftspeople who create Ms Ingpen\u2019s high-end luxury products.
\n\u201cIt is combining the best fibres available by using Fair Trade and handwork for manufacturing,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Ms Ingpen started working with the women under Fair Trade Organisation in Nepal 10 years ago after flying over to complete some design work for the association.<\/p>\n
Creating invaluable partnerships, Ms Ingpen donated an Ashford table loom to the organisation five years ago which quickly became a treasured item for the artisans.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Five years on, Ms Ingpen is hoping to donate another loom at a crucial time for Nepalese employees.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have a lot of artisans training and only one table loom so they have asked if I could look at donating one or two more if possible and I thought I would try my best,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is vital, I cannot tell you how little they have and they can\u2019t get access to these things.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of the material has to be supplied because there is just nothing there, they have to work with what they are given.\u201d<\/p>\n
The table loom comes from Ashford in New Zealand and will need to be flown to Nepal when flights return, which is often an expensive journey.<\/p>\n
While employing mostly women, the organisation also provides opportunities for those previously forced into sex work or those living on the streets, providing them with healthcare, childcare, wages and training.<\/p>\n
Ms Ingpen said the situation in Nepal is going mostly unnoticed by fellow Australians with the extent of the crisis being revealed to her in a letter by Nepalese Fair Trade director Meera Bhattarai.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf compared in population ratio, the numbers could be worse than in India,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/06\/IMG_0768_57175.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cWithin a month of the surge, hospitals cannot take in COVID patients due to lack of beds, oxygen, ventilators and other medical supplies.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are dying just because of lack of oxygen supply.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith a collapsed healthcare system and inefficiency of the government to address the issue, the public have been left to fend for themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
The organisation, which works with numerous global companies, suffered with the rising cost of materials such as copper, cotton and wool but Ms Bhattarai said they refrained from increasing prices.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had no cash reserves, but we managed to pay 50 per cent salary for the lockdown period,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, there was neither support nor any stimulus package of any kind from the government, even to micro or small scale or cottage enterprises.\u201d<\/p>\n
Motivated by the state of despair of her co-workers, Ms Ingpen is looking to do what she can to help.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I\u2019m a small business I don\u2019t have a lot of funds but they have my yarn there which is great because they have material to work with so I can send them orders and a small amount of money when I can to keep them going in the lockdown,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMeera talks about mental health and how important it is for the artisans to have hope and know that people care.
\n\u201cIt is about keeping their spirits and hopes up.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FORMER Torquay businesswoman Sue Ingpen is raising funds to create on-the-job training for Nepalese women as the country continues to be among the worst affected by COVID-19. With up to 9,000 daily cases of the virus reported between mid-April to mid-May, Nepalese artisans are not only facing a health crisis but a severe loss of […]<\/p>\n