| Invisible Sisters Groups | |||||||
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Tamarind Squad  Ann with the founding group installing a work at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Manila. Rica – 48, domestic helper/cook, mother of 4, stepmother of 7, grandmother of 6, step grandmother of 26. Trainer, diplomat, translator, joke master. Recently graduated from high school, speaks Tagalog, Visayan, English, Mandarin. Rica is the trainer for two ongoing groups - Barangay 186 and 201.  Virgie – 32, domestic helper, no children. Completed Junior High School. Speaks Visayan, Tagalog, and English. Trainer. Each Monday and Thursday after lunch, she’d slip through the gate behind our house to teach crochet in the squatter community, to some of the women whom she’d known for many years.   Virgie cutting and crocheting dry cleaner bags. Rene – 48, married with one child, family driver. Rene crochets with his fingers, much like making fishnets, has participated in many workshops and designs new products when he has time. Rene and I explore Manila scrap dealers searching for excess materials to incorporate into the bags.  Rene working on our first installation piece. Edwin – 39, married to Virgie, no children, completed elementary school. Works as a gardener. As the oldest son in a Filipino family he was obliged to provide for his younger siblings. All 5 of them have completed college. He crochets with his fingers, and joins us for events and exhibitions when his schedule permits.  *Barangay means "village" in Filipino. All locations of these listed barangays are in Metro Manila. |