An Income of Their Own: Grace Ngonyani and Gracious Hope
This week, I want to introduce you to Grace Ngonyani, founder of Gracious Hope Foundation in Tanzania, and share an ongoing project we support with her. Through the gift of sewing machines, women participating in Gracious Hope’s sewing initiative have access to tools they can use to create these beautiful bags and purses and earn an income of their own. Each finished piece represents time and skill, and each sale is an opportunity for its maker to earn money from her work.
Supporting the work women want to do
Grace’s work supports women in practical ways. Alongside the sewing initiative, Gracious Hope provides free daycare so mothers can work or attend school. Having somewhere for children to be cared for and having access to the tools needed to earn a living address different parts of the same challenge: making it possible for women to pursue opportunities available to them.
LOTUS Humanitarian has sponsored sewing machines for Gracious Hope through She Dares to Wander trips. A machine is a useful gift because its value continues beyond the day it is given. With materials and customers, it can be used to make one item after another, providing an ongoing way to turn sewing skills into paid work.
The women themselves do that work. They make the bags and purses that tourists can purchase, contributing their time and craftsmanship to every finished item. Our part in this partnership is to support access to the equipment and help connect their products with buyers.
From material to a finished bag to a sale
She Dares to Wander has purchased material for the initiative and also resells the finished items, with the funds going back to the women. This gives travelers a way to take home something beautiful while supporting the people who made it. It also helps the women’s products reach buyers beyond those who purchase directly while visiting Tanzania.
Equipment, material, and a way to sell the finished work all matter. A donated sewing machine makes production possible, but the sale is what turns a finished bag into income. That is why this ongoing relationship matters to us: we want to support the work beyond providing the initial tools.
Earning money from something you have made carries a particular meaning. It recognizes your skill and the value of your time. An income of your own can also give you more choice in how you meet your needs and plan for what comes next. Having that choice matters.
Help us purchase more sewing machines
We would love your help purchasing more sewing machines for Gracious Hope’s ongoing initiative. Each machine costs $450. A gift of $450 can fund the purchase of one machine, and a contribution of any size can help us work toward the next one. It is a practical way to support women who are using their skills to create beautiful products and earn money from their work.
Click here to sponsor a sewing machine or contribute toward one. You do not have to fund a whole machine to take part; smaller gifts can help us make the next purchase together. 😄
I am grateful to Grace for her ongoing work at Gracious Hope, to the women creating these pieces, and to She Dares to Wander for purchasing material and helping bring the products to more customers. Thank you, too, to everyone whose support makes gifts like sewing machines possible!
You can also reach out to marjon@shedarestowander.com to ask about the bags and purses, or read more about Grace and Gracious Hope’s work here. We would love for more people to know the women’s work and the partnership that helps it reach them.
With love and gratitude,
Anya
