Gerlee and her husband Ankaa and son Huslee
Gerlee and her husband Ankaa and son Huslee
Emee, Gerlee's Mother with Ann
Brad Bag® chalk bags are sewn by Gereltsetseg (Gerlee) Renchin,
a seamstress who lives in Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia.
Gerlee was born in the eastern aimag (province) of Sukhbaatar in Underkhaan
soum (county), but grew up in Choibalsan, just north of Underkhaan,
in Dornod aimag, and was raised by her grandmother. Growing up, Gerlee
often watched over her family’s sheep and goats and milked the
cows every morning and evening.
Gerlee and her husband Ankhaa, son Huslee, and grandmother, moved to
Ulaanbaatar because of more opportunities for Ankhaa to work as a welder,
and the better education available for Huslee. Ankhaa and Gerlee purchased
a small, one-room house in one of the hashaa (fenced) districts on the
outskirts of the city. People in these districts often live in gers
(yurts) or small houses with no running water or plumbing, erected in
one-acre fenced plots.
Gerlee began training as a seamstress and found that she had a talent
for it. After her home was burglarized multiple times during the day,
it became necessary for Gerlee to stay at home and watch the house.
Brad Bag® approached Gerlee about sewing chalk bags during the summer
of 2006. Now, she is able to sew these bags at home and make a good
living. Brad Bag® is dedicated to paying their partners in developing
countries a better than fair wage.
Gerlee often chooses the fabrics she makes bags out of, and hand embroiders
various bags using traditional Mongolian stitching. Ankhaa is a talented
artist and often draws traditional Mongoian symbols onto bags so Gerlee
can stitch them. Their creativity ensures that Brad Bags® are a
unique blend of a practical chalk bag and Mongolian cultural handiwork,
making Brad Bags® one of a kind.
Soon Gerlee will give birth to her and Ankhaa’s second child.
Their family has been able to move into a heated apartment closer to
the city center, where Gerlee will continue to sew unique, high-quality
Brad Bags®.