I am writing this in my tent, pitched outside Nkhata Bay in Malawi. I am on my 7th month of the race and I can finally say I have discovered what my calling in life is. I know it’s what I’m suppose to do because I have the same feeling I did about Sooper Sitters, The World Race & Bouza Brownies. One idea builds on itself until I have a whole international business sketched out in my mind. It’s a unique feeling that shoots chills all over my body for as long as I think about it. All I want to do is make it a reality.
Allow me to back up a few days . . .
When my team got here last week, I expressed my passion for starting businesses and listed a few hobbies I enjoy doing at home. Sewing was one of the hobbies I mentioned that REALLY stood out to our contact.
At the beginning of this week, my team sat in on the Monday night meetings they hold here at Butterfly to distribute jobs for volunteers to commit to during the week. Everything they mention is so amazing, I really saw myself getting involved in everything. But Alice, our contact, had something else in mind for me. Half way through this very long list, she mentions “Nicole will be heading up a sewing project where she will be teaching you how to use the machines and how to make reusable sanitary napkins for girls in the village.”
MIND BLOWN
I took that responsibility on and started jotting down as much notes as I could remember about sewing. I remembered all the beautiful outfits my Grandmother, Lela, use to make on my couch and how she use to let me help her. I remembered the different projects I had assigned to me during my high school costume design class and how fun it was to see my final products. A few simple steps with a steady cutting hand and I’m set!
The next day I sat in front of the 1920 vintage Singer sewing machine (like the ones you’ll find on the walls of every All Saints clothing store) and studied it for a good 45 minutes. Trial and error was the best approach for this beauty.
Now jump ahead to this morning . . .
I woke up early to watch the Sunrise. I was alone and really enjoying this precious time. My mind started wandering, like it usually does, and I really started breaking down the need for this small sporadic project I said yes to. I started realizing how many girls/women in the neighboring villages didn’t have enough money to buy a meal to put on the table for their families, let alone the necessary sanitary napkins they needed each month. I started thinking about how many villages were around Nkhata bay, how many villages were around Malawi and how many villages were around Africa. My mind started spinning. It overwhelmed me to try and grasp how many women that summed up to be. I started thinking about all the places I have been to this year and how they are no different from the women in Africa.
Honduras: The women in the villages of La Ermita
Guatemala: The women in the mountains of Quiche
El Salvador: The girls at the orphanage
Bulgaria: The women staying in the refugee homes
Albania: The “Roma” gypsy women in Lezhe
Zambia: The women in the villages off the Zambezi River
If my passion is to “Enjoy & Give Joy,” I couldn’t think of a better way to do so.
VISSION: A company that would educate and inspire women back home to learn more about the realities women in these 3rd world countries are facing. A company that would sell the product back home, only in order to make enough products to distribute to all these women. A company that would inspire high school/college students to travel to these places and want to hand out the product themselves. A company that would teach the women out here how to stay healthy and clean. A company that would inspire everyone to be more eco-friendly. A company that will inspire women to believe in themselves and strive to reach their special goals. A company that will give women a product in these countries they need to have the same opportunities and advantages that men do.
There is no reason for a woman on this earth to be held back because of her lack of Sanitary napkins. This may seem like a big idea and it scares me a little to actually make this public. But I have a passion and I know what I have to do in order to start.
If anyone back home is interested in helping, reach out to me! If you know anyone who would be interested in this kind of project, send him or her my way! I may still be on the field, but I’m meeting people and making connections with people who want a project like this to move forward. Share this blog if you feel lead to. I know, that I know, that I know, THAT I KNOW, This is what I am supposed to be doing.
Enjoy & Give Joy 
Contact me: [email protected]
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