Women learning new sewing skills in the Indian village of Bodh Gaya.

When Kirsty Vella travelled to a remote Indian village to give sewing classes to its women, little did she think she would be getting back more than she gave.

The 24-year-old travelled with Ela Saliba, 27 – her business partner and co-owner of design company The Yello Studio – in collaboration with local NGO Right2Smile.

“We went go the village of Bodh Gaya to help out women by teaching them how to sew,” Ms Vella said just days after returning from her two-and-a-half month trip to the Bihar district.

The Indian women would walk for miles to the workshop, called Garden of Smiles, which formed part of the Bodhi Tree school.

“We taught them how to sew using patterns, how to make the patterns and how to sew in a straight line,” she said.

They gave so much more than we gave them

Although the women could sew, the quality of the finished product was poor. Ms Vella and Ms Saliba would take them to the local markets and show them how to buy fabric, which patterns to match and to visualise the finished product when working on a dress.

“Once they had made that connection, then they understood what they could do.”

However, it was not the mastering of the sewing and crocheting skills that was amazing but the change of personality.

“They started off as being really quiet, covering their faces with their hands and not looking us in the eye. They wouldn’t speak to us but by the time we left we were hugging each other and calling ourselves sisters.”

The Indian women, aged between 15 and 21, gained confidence in their newfound skills as seamstresses and also in themselves. Even though there was a language barrier, Ms Vella and Ms Saliba ended up learning Hindi and the Indian women started speaking a few words of English.

Ms Vella admits she found it hard to leave after just six weeks and, in fact, extended her travel visa. “They gave me so much more than we gave them – I couldn’t just leave.”

Kirsty Vella (centre) and her business partner Ela Saliba (right).

One amazing experience that struck her and “gave her goosebumps” was when the Indian women invited both Ms Vella and Ms Saliba for Sunday lunch.

“We were treated like queens. It was such an honour for us to be invited to their meal and you could realise that some of the villagers had never seen a white person before.”

Ms Vella says she returned to Malta calmer, relaxed and more at ease with life. “You learn to appreciate what you have and not stress yourself. They have so many problems but they are always smiling and happy.”

The two Maltese brought back the dress patterns, which they designed in India, and plan to sell the dresses and send the proceeds to the women in Bodh Gaya.

For more information, visit www.right2smile.org.