Seeds to Sew International

If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you noticed that I jetted out of little ole Lynchburg and headed to bigger cities. It was my yearly trip to visit my mom in New Jersey, which sometimes includes a trip to NYC. We had an amazing time of seeing beautiful buildings, beautiful plays (Wicked on Broadway is amazing), and beautiful people.

We also had the beautiful opportunity of visiting the store Seeds to Sew International.

Seeds to Sew is an incredible non-profit that is all about empowering women in Africa. Their mission is to “improve the lives of women and girls in disadvantaged communities through education and job skills training.   [The] goal is for the women and girls in our program to use these job skills to make money and support themselves and their communities.”

The store we visited sold the products that the women made and shipped back to the States. Yes, we’ve all seen the also wonderful chain stores that sell all fair trade and handmade items from Africa, but these items hit closer to my heart. They have no feel for anything mass produced. They are all one of a kind and such unique products.

Their main products are fabric reusable bags called Enkiteng bags. Basically, they are a rectangular fabric bag with a ribbon sewn across the top but they go far beyond basic. They are marketed as eco-friendly, user-friendly, reusable gift bags that have no waste. These bags hold so many opportunities – opportunities on how to use them and gift them but more importantly opportunities for the women in disadvantaged, war-torn, and poverty-stricken areas of Africa who make them to actually build a life for themselves.

It was so much fun to visit the store and hear the first-hand accounts from the woman working there. She is one of just a handful of people who run the organization. They all have full-time jobs but this is their passion. You can just feel the love, generosity and heart that pours through them as they explain their mission. They tell the success stories of women who are now strong enough to stand up to their husbands, women who can buy their own land and home now (unheard of there), women who have a skill that will allow them to be independent and to be able to provide for their family. Women who are self-sufficient and powerful. Yes, we talk all about women empowerment here in the United States but the degree that is needed in these areas of Africa is extreme.

We aren’t talking glass ceiling here, we are talking about regular human rights. These women don’t choose anything about their lives or their bodies. They are subject to polygamous marriages and brutality. Through teaching them a skill they are able to stand on their own two feet they are able to survive.

The store also sells beautiful beaded necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and belts. This is another program that they have set up in a different village.  Baskets are also sold that represents another village. These items are beautiful and hold so much meaning in each one.

My mom and I first stopped by JoAnn Fabrics to buy yards of fabric to donate. Isn’t it fun to think about them traveling all the way to Africa, being sewn by these wonderful women, and then traveling all the way back here to end up as wrapping paper for gifts? Then we spent an hour at the store pouring over the various bags while listening to the incredible story of this organization. We had so much fun picking bags that would be gifted back and forth between our families. Although, a few of my bags may end up staying in the house as laundry bags, travel bags, etc. They are just too pretty!

So now that I have gushed on and on about this wonderful organization and its products, don’t fret that you can’t travel to New Jersey to snatch up these great products. You can visit their online store here and order these amazing bags, jewelry and baskets yourself. Or you can also give a donation as well. I highly encourage you to check out this amazing organization that is small yet powerful.