This is how Jaruwan describes the past decade. This better life, she says, is because of the Habitat house that she built with volunteers in Chiang Mai, Thailand, as part of the 2009 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project.
Ten years ago, Jaruwan was cleaning homes and sewing pillowcases to support her family. Today, she has a thriving business that she operates out of her house. She makes shoulder bags and key chains. Mostly, she makes shoes. Lots of shoes.
She is also proud that she can provide for her children. “My children can have good food, and they can go to a better quality school,” Jaruwan says. “I feel happy that I can take good care of them.”