“Breaking the cycle of poverty, one stitch at a time in Lusaka, Zambia through women’s empowerment & education in life skills.”
Clothed in Hope is a non-profit organization that aims to empower vulnerable women in Zambia in a sustainable way. Amy (the founder who is only 25 by the way) and her husband, Wyatt, bought a house in the heart of the Nagombe compound in Lusaka, Zambia. In this house you will find a dozen to 2 dozen women learning to sew or sewing products to sell.
Zambia is a country with a very high HIV percentage rate and it is also a country that doesn’t respect women, especially women who live in the compounds (aka the slums). 2011, Amy’s junior year of college, is when Clothed in Hope was founded. Amy wanted to help these women and give them hope. She didn’t just want to come in and talk to them; she wanted to teach them. Amy decided to use her fashion merchandising and business degree to start her organization. She was going to teach the women to sew and make lasting products. She was going to teach the women life skills: how to bake, how to make a profit, etc.
A few members of our team had the opportunity to visit Clothed in Hope and watch the women at work. There were 2 groups of women working away. One of the groups was the beginner’s class. They began their course in September and were working on baby dresses. The other group of women had already graduated. They were there making products that people had ordered and products for a trade show in Texas. It was amazing to watch them work so diligently, most of them with a baby strapped to their back.
God is clearly moving and working in Clothed in Hope. His presence is all over the house in the middle of the Nagombe Compound. This organization has so much to offer and God is going to continue to bless them. I am so excited for future racers to have the opportunity to work with this ministry.
Visit their store at shop.clothedinhope.org
