Dear Knitters at Crates of Yarn and Wendy,

 

The hats that your group knit really put a smile on the faces of these children.  I had enough hats for all the children at the Daisy Dube Children's Home and all the children and newborns at the hospital.  Everyone is so happy to receive a gift.  You ask why we need hats in Africa?  For one thing, we live in the mountains and it gets quite cold.  For another thing, they use wear hats all the time as a fashion statement, especially the young kids who keep their heads shaved (boys and girls alike) per school regulations and fashion.  Adult women are most often seen with extensions or wigs.

 

Many women knit here and we try to teach the girls at the Children's Home to knit and crochet so they have a life skill.  Many of you contributed needles, which are difficult to find here.  Thank you!  Yarn (low quality) is readily available but expensive for most people.  (Average wage for the lucky few that have jobs is $400 per month and that amount may support a family of 6-8.  There is a 90% unemployment rate in the area we live.)  If you can save your remnants of yarn, they will make use of it.  It can be shipped to New Hampshire where a container will be loaded in June.  (A few dollars needed for shipping.) 

 

Thank you again.

 

Maryjane Westra