In
June 2008, Lyn Jordan, from Overnewton Anglican College, visited
Chibobo to escort a local boy, Joshua, back to Australia for an
operation on his badly deformed feet. Whilst she
was there she
observed that the Carers for the orphans sat around with little to do
for some of the day and wondered if anything could be done to help keep
these ladies occupied.
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A
group from St
Mary’s Anglican Church, Sunbury visited Chibobo in late
June 2008, and took on board Lyn’s concerns, led by the
accomplished
Gill Garth.
During their time at Chibobo they were able to teach various crafts to
the Carers, which included 8 ladies and 2 men. They
were quick to
master knitting and made beautiful hats and scarves from wool that had
been taken over. That evening there were smiles all
around as the St.
Mary’s group saw ladies everywhere knitting, under trees, on
doorsteps
and even in the group’s kitchen area
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The
next day the group met again and this time decided to do some basic
dressmaking – just simple skirts with elastic waistbands and
shorts. Again they were very quick to
learn. Most was done by hand as the sewing machines
they had were broken. (Since then St
Mary’s has provided some treadle sewing machines).
These Carers were so enthusiastic that they wanted to meet again and
again but with the supply of wool and material running out scraps were
used to make a patchwork wall hanging, which now proudly hangs in the
orphanage hall. |
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At
the end of this day the group decided to form The Koala Club and each
member received a clip on koala
Since returning to
Australia Gill Garth linked ‘The Koala
Club’ with St Mary’s Craft Group who have been
sending them wool and material on a regular basis.
The club has gone from strength to strength and now has 22
members. They have formed a
“constitution” and pay a small annual
fee. They are now making school uniforms for the orphans. |
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Gill
returned to Chibobo in July 2009 taking with her sewing supplies,
needles, pins, cottons, scissors, tape measures, all generously
donated. (Prior to this the ladies had only one pair of
scissors and minimum sewing aids.) It was such a
thrill to see how this group had grown. The Carers
had invited ladies from the surrounding area to join them on a Tuesday
and some now walk up to 10 km (with babies on their backs) to enjoy a
time of friendship and sewing.
On this visit the
ladies were taught how to make simple bags and
placemats, which were brought back to Australia to
sell. These were made out of local Zambian material
and it is hoped to be able to supply these on a regular basis. |
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The
group is now looking into making school uniforms for local schools,
which they will sell, thereby earning an income for
Chibobo. They are also talking about
taking their skills further afield and forming outreach groups for
people who cannot travel to Chibobo.
These ladies have
certainly been empowered and it is wonderful to see
the progress that has been made since Lyn Jordan observed that these
ladies “had nothing to do”.
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