Friends We Have Helped
THE KOPANANG PROJECT
At the 2008 AQC event, we were honoured to have as our guests Sister Sheila Flynn, Johanna Zulu and Mpho Sibanyoni from South Africa.
They shared with us their efforts to improve the situation of women affected by the Aids/HIV epidemic and to look after orphaned children in South Africa.
The Kopanang Project at AQC allowed them to sell nearly $20,000 worth of product, with the funds going to help their efforts in South Africa. If you were inspired and awed by the courage of these women in the face of such adversity, as we were, and you would like to further help them in a simple way, please send supplies of embroidery thread (raid that stash!) to:
Sister Sheila Flynn
Kopanang Community Trust
PO Box 10268
Geluksdal 1546
South Africa
A POSTCARD FROM EGYPT
At AQC in 2007 we hosted some Egyptian tentmakers who do intricate handwork and sold many wonderful pieces at the event.
At the end of the expo, CEO of Expertise Events, Gary Fitz-Roy gave a cash donation "for a deserving cause in Egypt" to Jenny Bowker who had organised the visit from her current base in Egypt.
Jenny has written to tell us how she has allocated the funds.
Jenny writes:
"The first project I settled on was one in the Western Desert of Bahariya, where they were encouraging the local ladies to bring back the local style of embroidery... so I asked for a list of materials and embroidery thread that they needed and bought them a mountain of stuff - but there was still money left.
We have just handed this over to an organisation that takes street children off the street - especially abused and pregnant girls. Some are as young as eleven and twelve and pregnant without any income. The organisation is first class. ... I know them well and they will really get good value from your kindness. What will happen to the girls in the long term is in the lap of the gods - but for a short time they will be well cared for by a very nice and loving group of women. They teach a lot of life skills and set them up with mini-projects - drink selling carts and things that guarantee a small income."