There are some great initiatives out there around the world, that would be fabulous to start up in every small town and city. But it takes a lot of work and dedication to start any initiative and keep it going, as I have seen with the ones I am involved in. It needs a dedicated team, or sometimes just one person with a lot of energy.
Here is one idea that I spotted a few months back A Library of Things - where you can borrow almost anything.
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| A Library of Things |
You could try out musical instruments to your heart's content, try camping, or do all your mending on a sewing machine. That would be a terrific use of resources - particularly of items that are not used often.
Days for Girls
This one was new to me. What a wonderful way to support underprivileged women worldwide. In many countries girls stop attending school when menstruation starts as they have no means of managing it adequately. This initiative has volunteers worldwide sewing reusable pads, which are then sent to women in need. I came across it via a Facebook page I follow Just Zilch - Palmeston North's Free Store..... A mother and daughter duo in New Zealand have been making them to give out via the store to New Zealand women who can't afford sanitary supplies (as well as sending them to some of the Pacific Islands).
When I have finished sewing market bags for our Plastic Bag Free work, then this will be next on my list.
What wonderful projects. I love both the lending library and the packages for women. I would love to start a lending library here in my town, if only I could find a location to host it.
ReplyDeleteI dream of an environmentally friendly mall - where you can buy food without packaging, fresh fruit and veg, plants, preloved clothes, books and other items, and a lending library, a toy library a cafe with healthy food, etc and not a plastic bag in sight - imagine it!
DeleteA Library of Things would be fun to have. One could try out many things and then you would know if you had any talent and wanted to buy one. Great idea.
ReplyDeleteThe kits for girls is another great idea. All could be made from scraps for almost no money.
Sewing reusable pads is a great initiative. Is there a pattern available, and a place to send them to?
ReplyDeleteThanks for asking Cheryl - I should have included the website, which has both patterns and local chapters around the world, where they coordinate sending the kits to the needy....you can find all this on www.daysforgirls.org
DeleteThanks, I will check it out.
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