“I’ll never forget walking around the community of Bosirhat, near the border of Bangladesh, and meeting the women who called that place home. They smiled at me and there was an appearance of happiness, but their eyes told a different story—one of deep sadness. I soon learned how difficult their lives were in that place. As we grew closer together and discussed the possibility of them learning how to sew, the sadness in their eyes was replaced with a sparkle, a sparkle of hope.

Seeing this glimmer of hope grow in these women fuelled my desire to give them a meaningful alternative employment option. A place they could work and begin to be healed holistically from their trauma and empowered to make a difference in their communities.

This is where the vision for Yafe was born. In December 2022, with just a small group of courageous women, we saw this dream fulfilled as Yafe House was opened just beyond Kolkata on the way to Bosirhat.”

Jen—Founder of Yaf