AKRON, Ohio - What started as two random acts of kindness nearly a decade ago, is now a way of life for Woven in Exile founders Liz and Terry Kuhn and the Bhutanese-Nepali refugee women who make up the group.

Woven in Exile got its start in 2010, when Terry Kuhn, who served as vice provost and dean for Undergraduate Studies at Kent State University for more than 20 years, and his wife Liz, who holds multiple degrees including a master's degree in weaving, invited women from Akron's Bhutanese-Nepali refugee community to attend an informational meeting about weaving at their Kent, Ohio home.

The Kuhns learned the Bhutanese-Nepali women might have an interest in weaving when Liz Kuhn donated winter coats to Bhutanese-Nepali children in Akron through her garden club, and Terry Kuhn helped gather discarded furniture and household items for refugee families. After these interactions, community member Francis Weng, who learned of Liz Kuhn's weaving ability, asked her to meet with the Bhutanese-Nepali women, many of whom has learned to weave from Oxfam while living in refugee camps in Nepal.

The Kuhns expected a handful of women to attend the meeting but more than 50 women, along with a few interpreters, showed up.

"The purpose of that meeting was to find out which materials, yarn, loom, they needed to weave," Terry Kuhn said.

The Kuhns weren't sure how to conduct the meeting, since the women didn't speak any English, so they searched the internet to find pictures of different types of looms.

"When we got to the backstrap loom, the whole room came alive. They were pointing and shouting, saying 'that's it, that's it,' in translation," Terry Kuhn said.

And from that point, Liz Kuhn set out to learn to weave using a backstrap loom so she could help the women weave again.

Today, she meets with Woven in Exile members at their homes on a monthly basis. The women use mercerized cotton thread to weave bags, scarves, table runners and organizers. Woven items are available for sale online, at the Kent Farmer's Market, the Market Path, and at church shows, craft shows and fundraisers. The weavers receive 90 percent of the purchase price for each item, while the remaining 10 percent helps to cover the cost of supplies.

While proceeds from goods sold aren't enough to support the women, they do help supplement income, and give the women a sense of confidence and community, according to Nilam Ghimirey, a part-time interpreter for the group and daughter of former Woven in Exile weaver Bishnu Ghimirey.

"Being part of Woven in Exile helped my mom learn English and gain the confidence to seek employment," Nilam Ghimirey said.

Nilam Ghimirey's cousin, Bersha Ghimirey, has taken over most of the translation duties for the group as Nilam Ghimirey is pursuing her master's degree in biomedical science at Kent State University. She is living with the Kuhns, who live across from the university, while she attends school.

For Woven in Exile member Ash Maya Subba, weaving is a way to connect with other members of the Nepali community in Akron.

"There is a big difficulty in language communication outside the Nepali community," Subba said through a translator.

Subba started weaving scarves and sweaters in her native Bhutan in the 1960s. Now, she makes and sells bags and organizers, which helps provide income for her family.

"I really like it, I love it," she said.

Twelve women formed the original members of Woven in Exile, but currently the group has three members.

"What happens is, when the women are in this country and the find out how little value is placed on handmade items, they tend to get other jobs to generate a more secure income," Terry Kuhn said.

Such was the case for former Woven in Exile weaver Bishnu Ghimirey (Nilam Ghimirey's mother), who now works as a store clerk.

"In this country, machines weave, and there is little value in the cloth itself. So unless you look at it and know it's handwoven and look at the quality and the texture, you probably can't appreciate the fact you are going to pay $30-40 for something you can get at Kohl's or Walmart for $8-10," Terry Kuhn said.

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