LAGA HANDBAGS STORY CONTINUED

“In the Acehnese language, Laga(k) means beautiful.”

On their next trip back, Roy and Louise used the funds they raised to rent a workshop for twelve women who had lost everything that fateful December day. Their goal was to help them rebuild their lives and their community – training them to make quality handbags and accessories that could be appreciated by women in the United States. Louise gave each handbag a name that represents what Laga means to the women in Indonesia. Harapan means “hope.” Damaimeans “peace.” Selalu means “always.” And hearts sang when, years later, they introduced Ria, which means “cheerful!”

After four years, when Laga Handbags were blessed with the opportunity to be featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2010, these twelve women became celebrities in their own right. Orders began pouring in which afforded Roy and Louise the funds to hire and train more survivors. Little by little, the workshop grew full and they began reaching out into the village community to enlist more willing workers, providing more and more training and subsequentmuch needed jobs.

Today, Laga Handbags is a haven of peace, hope and love, providing income and education for many, many women and men and their families, in Laga’s workshop as well as in the homes of women with small children and the co-ops they formed throughout the villages.

Each handbag sewn and sold is a labor of love, from one woman to another. Stitched lovingly by hand on a treadle sewing machine without electricity, the patterns guided by hand, lined with rich synthetic silk-satin and embellished with intricate metal detailing. All of Laga handbags have tiny feet to protect the intricate stitching on the bottom and most take more than a single day to sew; no two are ever identical.

Laga Handbags and Accessories make beautifully unique one-of-a-kind gifts for someone special. As Oprah said, “If you’re going to give a gift, why not give one that gives back?” And if you choose to keep one for yourself, you will absolutely love your Laga. Even more than that, you will love knowing your purchase gives back, enriching the lives of families in a country that has had more than its fair share of struggle.