Yesterday, we met Sisterhood Boutique, a social enterprise run by women from the East African community in Minneapolis. The boutique is a space meant especially for girls and offers stylish looks at affordable prices – everything in the store is $12 or less! Since the boutique launched a few years ago, they’ve come a long way in growing their business and serving the community. But it was time for a change - they were ready for a step forward. So we’re working with our friends at The Progressive North to help them get to the next level! On today's docket? Furniture! Many of the things the Boutique used were either donated or purchased at outlet stores. So they had a hodgepodge collection of furniture, and not always of the best quality. They wanted new ways to display the clothes and accessories for sale. Our friends at Pillsbury United Fund generously match our funds for this project, which allowed us to go further and farther for these ladies! We were able to purchase … [Read more...] about From Shabby to Chic
Changemakers365
Sisterhood Boutique
Everyone needs a space to call their own. Especially young people. But for the young women of the East African community in Minneapolis, there just aren't a lot of places where they can be themselves. Enter Sisterhood Boutique. “Young women didn’t have space in the community,” said Yasameen, one of the Boutique's longtime employees. "The guys were taking over the sports, computers, etc...those types of spaces." Founded by women of the East African community, Sisterhood Boutique is a social enterprise run mostly by women. They sell gently used clothing - and all for under $12. When the store opened four years ago, the girls chose a bright purple paint for the walls that made a statement. But now, they want something different - something more neutral that will make space for them to be creative in other ways. So for Day 42, and in partnership with The Progressive North, we're helping the girls get a jump start on their new vision. Along with some amazing volunteers from … [Read more...] about Sisterhood Boutique
Good Business
Starting a new business is tough. It takes dedication, creative thinking, and access to resources. But for most people at Nakivale Refugee Settlement, that last piece is sometimes missing. There just aren’t a ton of resources available. The Nakivale Rotaract Club is starting a bunch of small ventures at once – a poultry project, farming cooperatives, and now, a tailoring shop. This group of young people are ambitious and scrappy, but it’s a lot of work balancing them all. So for Day 42. we’re helping the women who run the tailoring shop build their business with some essential things they need to keep going. We got this group of woman another sewing machine that will expand their business, along with some supplies, too. Now they can bring another seamstress on board, and take on new customers. It’s not a lot, but it’s small steps that will lead to big things for these ladies. And they’re not giving up – they’re just getting started. … [Read more...] about Good Business
Seeds of Change
Farming is the most common way to build a livelihood in Nakivale Refugee Settlement. But there's lots of ways to go about it - some people have their own individual small farms, while others form groups that work together to save for a specific need. For Day 41, the Nakivale Rotaract Club had an idea to support one of these collectives in particular – a women’s group. The group is a way for women to support each other, to band together in learning, working, and build toward their goals. And they were looking to grow. There are a lot of things that any farmer needs to have a successful crop – seedlings, fertilizer, good soil, and just the right weather. We can’t control all these things, but there was something we could do, together with the Rotaractors. We could get them more seeds! And not just that, the right tools to help them tend to the seedlings. These women don’t let the restrictions they face in Nakivale stop them from doing the things they want to do. With … [Read more...] about Seeds of Change
Count Your Chickens
Youth make up 60% of the population in Nakivale Refugee Settlement. So there are A LOT of young people who are coming into their own, looking for purpose and meaning. And one group who’s done an incredible job doing just that are the Nakivale Rotaractors. The Nakivale Rotaract Club is a service-oriented youth group that meets together once per week, dreaming up ideas (big and small) for how to give back to the community. All refugees themselves, they know well the obstacles that their peers face – and they have brilliant ideas for how to overcome them. A lot of their ideas center around how to get a little extra income – like so many young people around the world, having some pocket cash to try new things, or maybe even start your own business, is an exciting prospect. But instead of mowing lawns or working at a coffee shop, these youngsters were thinking of a way to add value in this refugee camp context – chickens! “Poultry rearing is a profitable livelihood initiative, … [Read more...] about Count Your Chickens
A Change of Clothes
When refugees leave their home countries, they often run with nothing. And they arrive at places like Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda often with only the clothes they were wearing the day they left. So the Nakivale Rotaract Club had an idea. The Rotaract Club in Nakivale is a service group for youth - it's made up of young people (refugees themselves) who want to give back. As the very first Rotary entity in a refugee camp, they're pioneers. And they have lots of ideas. For Day 39, the Rotaract Club at Nakivale wanted to help these newly arrived refugees feel a little more comfortable - and dignified. And it was simple. More clothes! When refugees first arrive at Nakivale, their first point of entry is the Reception Center. But they could stay there for weeks at a time, lacking access to the other services the camp offers. "When refugees arrive here," said Andrew from the ARC team, "they don't have any new clothing to change into. It's hard to keep good hygiene up." … [Read more...] about A Change of Clothes
A Brand New Space
Around the world, people spend a lot of time in offices – even humanitarians. There needs to be an administrative hub that organizes the work we day in every country. For our team in Islamabad, Pakistan, there was one thing at the office that was making that time more of a hassle – the bathrooms. The women’s bathroom was of particular concern. “There is poor management of this building,” said Habib from the team, “which means that that structural and hygienic upkeep sometimes just doesn’t happen, especially in the women’s room.” We saw an immediate opportunity to make a difference for our female teammates in the country, who deserve a clean, updated, and comfortable place to use the bathroom. So Day 38 was a no brainer – we got to work fixing that space! We fixed and painted the doors, renovated the tiles on the walls, put in a new floor, roof, and ceiling, and installed a new sink. Now, the bathroom is like new. Sometimes, doing the doable starts with the things that … [Read more...] about A Brand New Space
Got Your Back
We all have our ups and downs. But our teams around the world – who so often live in areas of conflict – can sometimes face emergencies that they have a hard time coping with. So our teammates in Pakistan had an idea. The team noticed that when their colleagues faced personal emergency situations, they would struggle with ways to cover the costs. Sometimes they would resort to borrowing support from others. But this put people in a risky situation - it was hard to get out from under that financial burden. Their solution? A revolving emergency staff fund – with the help of some Changemaking friends. “Staff members get small loans so they can address their emergencies,” said Habib from the team. “And then they can return the loan in 4-6 easy installments when they’re able.” Friends have each other’s backs. And teammates should, too. On Day 37, Team Pakistan proved that with just a little extra thought, they could be the family their friends need – anytime they need it. … [Read more...] about Got Your Back
Taking Flight
Over the past few weeks in Greece with Communitere, we've seen just how powerful getting your hands dirty can be - especially when you dig in with people you might not normally have much in common with. From beekeeping to crafting with LED lights, sometimes doing something together is the greatest way to break boundaries, and form friendships. On our last with day this team - for now! - we're at it again, teaching kids of all ages and backgrounds to make something beautiful, fanciful, and fun - kites! We got groups of refugee kids together with local kids for our kite-making workshop, with Communitere leading the way. They were shy at first, with heads down, concentrating on their work. But it took just a few minutes for the kids to loosen up and get to know each other. And once the kites were done, these friendships really took off! It didn't matter then who was a refugee and who wasn't - sometimes being a kid is just being a kid. The kite-making workshop was an … [Read more...] about Taking Flight
A Boost to Morale
Being a young adult in a refugee camp can take a toll on the spirit. Some young people begin to wonder if they'll ever return home, boredom can settle in, and they miss their friends and family terribly. Some of the teachers at Communitere saw their students struggling a bit, and had an idea. On Day 35, they threw their students a party! A chance to spend time together, eat special foods, and dance. The teacher surprised their students with delicious traditional Greek sweets, brought in movies to watch, and even had live music. One of the teachers described the student’s mood change. “They have been literally transformed. From sad and brooding they became progressively happy and laughing.” Some sweet treats, movies, and music can go a long way in making a student feel seen and important. Thanks to these quick-thinking, dedicated teachers, their refugee students know that someone’s got their back. … [Read more...] about A Boost to Morale