Sew Powerful Purse Project
The Pi Gamma At-Large Chapter is participating in an ongoing service project called The Sew Powerful Purse Project. Below you will find information about the purpose of the project and the organization that created this opportunity. We encourage all members to participate in some manner in making this a meaningful service project for our chapter. If you have questions, please contact the Chapter representatives for this project noted below. We thank you for helping make this a meaningful contribution to others for our Chapter.
The Sew Powerful Purse Project
The Organization
Sew Powerful is a Christian ministry that exists to employ and empower people to pursue life in all its fullness. They do this by creating purposeful products that change communities-things like school uniforms, reusable hygiene pads, soap, and farm fresh food.
In Zambia, Sew Powerful employs their team with good paying jobs. Everywhere else in the world, they ask their team members to serve as volunteers. This allows them to have an incredibly low overhead rate of under 5%.
The Sew Powerful organization works hard to link seamstresses from around the world to combat extreme poverty by providing re-usable feminine hygiene supplies and health training to girls in Zambia. This enables the girls to attend school all month and improve their academic performance.
The organization asks seamstresses from around the world to download the Sew Powerful Purse Pattern, sew purses, and send them to the organization for distribution to girls in Zambia.
The Problem
In Zambia it is common cultural practice in both poor urban and remote village areas that girls stay home when they are on their period. This is because they don't have a reliable product solution that they can afford. So to avoid the risk of social embarrassment – they simply stay home. It has been documented the girls miss up to six weeks of school each year, and that providing sanitary pads and menstrual hygiene management training reduces absenteeism by 75%. Disposable products are not the solution because there is no garbage collection and the cost is an impossible barrier to overcome. A well-made reusable product that replaces traditional methods is the best solution.
The Consequence
The 7th Grade Exam is a pivotal academic test in Zambia. In 2014, the girls failed to pass the exam at more than a 10% higher rate than boys. If a student (either girl or boy) doesn't pass the 7th Grade Exams, they cannot got to Secondary School (called High School in the U.S.) and their academic career is over. There is no 'remedial high school' or back-up plan. They are done with school forever. It has been reported that girls that drop out of school before completing a secondary education have a 40% pregnancy rate. Also, educated women in Zambia have 3.9 children on average compared to 5.3 children for those who drop out. Finally, a girl in secondary school is 4 times less likely to be HIV-positive than one who drops out.
A Solution
The Sew Powerful Purse Project includes a Lusaka, Zambia based sewing cooperative that makes reusable feminine hygiene products (as well as school uniforms and soap). They call these their "Purposeful Products." The moms, aunties, and grandmas making these items are the heroes of the story. Their work is impacting their community for the better.
In addition to sewing the pads and making the soap, they coordinate health class training and, along with local teachers, the distribution of purses made by others that include the items the girls need to manage their period. This is a long-term collaboration with the schools. When a purse is used strategically as part of menstrual hygiene management, it gives girls a new-found confidence. A purse is a simple item but having a personal keepsake (something that you consider your private space; something that was a gift from a caring friend) can mean a lot to a young girl, empowering her to have higher self-esteem.
How the Pi Gamma At-Large Chapter Members Can Help
Make Purses!
No sewing experience is needed! Free purse patterns and sew-along training videos are available on the organization's website. We also have chapter members who are willing to assist you in learning the simple skills needed to become a purse maker pro! You simply download the purse patterns provided on the Sew Powerful website and follow the "how-to" directions. There are two patterns. One is a Cross Body Purse pattern; the other a beginner level purse pattern. Both are provided in a printable PDF file. There are additional resources for more experienced seamstresses including options for machine embroidery for purses; however, this is optional. Take your time and make the purses as nice as possible. Quality purses are the goal. Each month the Sew Powerful organization conducts a live 'unboxing party' on the last Monday of the month; but purses are accepted at any time during the year.
Make Note Cards!
View the note card tutorials and related files from the Sew Powerful website and make beautiful, inspirational note cards to be included in the purses made by yourself or other Pi Gamma At-Large Chapter members. Write something special to a girl who will receive a purse. Maybe a poem, scripture verse, prayer, or word of encouragement. These cards are an important part of the program and each girl looks with anticipation in the purse to see what the sender has written – make it special!
Donate!
It costs about $5 to have the Sewing Cooperative fill the purse with all the supplies the girl needs. A donation of $5 for each purse helps cover the cost of materials as well as the seamstresses time to sew the pads. It also covers the soap team costs. To make a donation, click on the link and follow the directions on the Sew Powerful website. Options for online donations or mailing in a donation are available.
PLEASE NOTE:
*Rather than shipping your completed purses and note cards directly to the Sew Powerful headquarters, as indicated on the Sew Powerful website, Pi Gamma At-Large Chapter members are asked to drop completed purses and note cards off in the designated box located in the Center for Nursing Excellence on the first floor of the Georgia Baptist College of Nursing building in Atlanta (Monday through Friday). We will then ship purses and note cards in bulk to the Sew Powerful headquarters. If you are unable to get your items to the College, please contact Melissa Bryan at mbryan848@hotmail.com or Linda Mason Barber at lbarber_la@mercer.edu to make other arrangements for the shipping of your purses and/or notecards.
*When making a donation to Sew Powerful or dropping purses or note cards off at the College, we ask that you notify the Membership Involvement Chair, Linda Mason Barber (barber_la@mercer.edu) so that she can keep track of the participation level of our chapter members in this meaningful service project. For further information about the Sew Powerful Purse Project, please visit the Sew Powerful website.