The River Cities Quilters’ Guild features Julie Pash of Project Lydia at the meeting on Tuesday, May 20, 2014, beginning at 7:00 p.m. The guild meets at Fulton Presbyterian Church, 311 N. 9th Street, Fulton, IL. Pash will bring hand-dyed African batik fabric to sell by the yard. Project Lydia is a member of the Fair Trade Association.
Project Lydia has been designed to assist widows and abandoned wives who live in remote villages in Uganda, East Africa, to earn a living wage and support themselves and their families. Unfortunately, in developing countries, women are often treated as possessions. Children and wives are frequently left destitute when the husband finds a new or younger wife. The project teaches skills, provides a spiritual, physical, and emotional support system, and opens doors for women to support their families.
Formed in 2010, Project Lydia assisted 12 women who needed help. Today this economic development program has grown to 60 women, who are earning sustainable incomes, providing for their families, and sending over 200 of their children to school.
The participating women hand make items which are sold abroad. These include jewelry made from recycled paper; banana leaf baskets; handbags made of batik African fabrics, sewn on Singer treadle sewing machines. They gather weekly to work on handcraft projects.
They are paid above market rates for all the items they produce and are paid immediately as we receive their items. All proceeds–after the cost of sales–go back to their village for economic development, to help the community at large. In 2012, a water well was put in. In 2013, Project Lydia financed construction of an artesian spring well, toilet and bathing facilities, and initial rehabilitation of a school.
Quilters and non-quilters are invited to hear about this means of empowerment for African women. Briing a friend. Call Vicky Murney at 815-499-5618 with questions.
