Africa, that is. And while, it is not so surprising to think of making toasty warm hats for fair-haired, blue-eyed boys in Northern climes, I never realized how great was the need for warm wear in parts of Southern Africa.
"Did you know that over 500 children a day are orphaned in South Africa and Zimbabwe from the combined affects of poverty and HIV AIDS.
The temperature in many parts of Southern Africa falls below freezing in winter, especially at night." So says the KAS (Knit-a-square) charity, whose website is:
http://www.knit-a-square.com/index.html
The group, out of Australia, grew from the frustration of just one family as they visited relatives in South Africa in 2008. If you have 5 minutes, follow the link and read this family's inspiring story as they launched a charity to make a difference many people didn't even realize needed to be made!
I've started knitting squares, along with a group of teens at my local library. But now, I'm also hoping to branch out into hats and socks and vests. Their website includes simple, knit and crochet friendly patterns for free.
Something touches my heart about keeping cold babies warm at night. If my "wares" are only going to sell sporadically on Etsy, then at least they won't sit in a storage tote anymore! And that feels incredibly good!
Happy crafting for a noble cause!
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