Do You Sew?

Today is Frugal Friday over at Life as MOM and which offers a spot for others to link up to their frugal blog posts. Most of the time the posts are about how to save money or do something cheaply or a sweet coupon deal, but one of the links caught my attention today because it was about helping those who have nothing. Jessica over at Moneyless Momma's wrote a post about another blogging family who had linked up with an organization called Little Dresses for Africa (Whew! That was quite the chain that led to me writing about it on this blog!). Now, I don't know Jessica #1 (Life as MOM), nor do I know Jessica #2 (Moneyless Momma's), nor do I know much about Little Dresses for Africa (other than what I have read on their website), but based on our personal experiences when we lived and worked all over Africa, this hit home for me.

All pictures are from the Little Dresses for Africa website

If you have even basic sewing skills, this is the simplest dress to make! It's made using one standard-size pillow case (or king size would work for an older/taller girl) which is only required to be clean and in good condition. In other words, you could look for mate-less pillowcases at yard sales and your local thrift store, wash them, and turn them into a dress for an orphan in Africa. Little Dresses for Africa gives sewing directions (complete with pictures) on their website (click HERE for directions) and also gives a list of other ways you can help (donate for shipping, provide vacuum bags for packing the dresses, etc. - click HERE for the full list of ways to help).

They are also trying to build their "Britches for Boys" program and are looking for people who can make simple shorts for little boys, so if you feel your sewing skills are up to the challenge, go for it! This would be a great summer project to do with kids - maybe they can't sew, but they might be able to raise money through lemonade stands or doing chores. I think it's a great way to give back and assist those who are truly less fortunate and have very limited resources for help - and all in the name of Jesus (think of it like giving a cup of cold water in His name). Thanks to Jessica (Moneyless Momma's) for sharing about this organization!