Rwanda Knits: changing lives one stitich at a time

I recently stumbled across this wonderful inspiring project in Rwanda and just had to share it here! Teaching women to knit---using knitting machines has empowered them....

THE RWANDA KNITS PROJECT

"RWANDA KNITS provides hand-operated, American-made knitting machines, technical, and business training to low-income Rwandan women. Our program enables them to increase their incomes through economically sustainable knitting cooperatives, through which they produce garments for their domestic market and export markets."




"Through a USAID grant to our sister Rwanda-based NGO, Rwandans Allied for Peace and Progress, Rwanda Knits has enabled over 1,200 women to earn a living through making and selling their knitted goods. The organization has provided over 600 knitting machines and training to women in 17 associations throughout the country. The project has been described as one of USAID Rwanda's most successful income-producing projects. Today these associations have formed 29 knitting cooperatives who are registering as primary cooperatives, soon to be forming the country's first Secondary (umbrella-type) Artisan Cooperative."

Join the Sewing Club!

I treasure these old Vintage Needle Cases..., some in the house when we moved in (my mother-in-law was a seamstress) and some flea market finds. They make me feel connected to all the women sewers and knitters who came before me...and they remind me of my grandmother and her sister--my Great Aunt Esther. My grandmother taught me to knit and make pie crust when I was about 8 or 9...and she always had home made cookies in her cookie jar on the kitchen counter (and you could always have one--even if it was right before dinner!).

Aunt Esther endeavored to teach me--the family "tomboy"---how to be a "little lady"---I'm afraid I flunked that lesson! ---and to stand up for what I believed was right. Aunt Esther always had the proper saying for the proper time or event---once she had me take off my torn jeans and while she mended them, she told me--"A stitch in time, saves nine." Another favorate saying she had--which I still say --was: "Don't borrow trouble."(---said if you expressed a worry about something that could possibly happen...) and if you were sarcastic or meanly criticized your baby sister--she would look at you and say, "You catch more flies with honey, than you do vinegar."

If they were alive today, they would happily attend my once a month Needlework Salon---Gram with her knitting, Aunt Esther with her mending.