CHILDREN in a poverty-stricken community in Ghana were left “smiling with delight” following the donation of handmade dresses, crafted from pillowcases by Newbury and District Soroptimists recently.
The group donated 50 of the dresses to children in Lawra, upper-west Ghana, through Ramsbury-born charity Action Through Enterprise (ATE), along with a £25 donation. It followed a talk given to the soroptimists, which meets twice a month at St George’s Church, Wash Common, by the charity’s founder and chief executive Sarah Gardner.
ATE has just launched its second school feeding programme in Lawra, to encourage children to go to school and gain an education rather than searching for food. It also runs workshops and support sessions on setting up businesses and breaking down the stigma associated with physical and learning disabilities.
President of the Newbury & District soroptimists Katy Hawthorne, said: “A friend of mine has been supporting Sarah and once I had heard all the details I felt soroptimists would like to support her, too. “I have lived in Nairobi, Kenya, so I have a soft spot for Africa.”
Miss Gardner, said: “The girls that received the dresses were so excited. They loved the bright colours and couldn’t stop smiling with delight. Thank you to the Newbury Soroptomists for making the dresses, and for their financial donation, too. “We are so grateful for their support.”
Sarah receiving pillow case dresses from the Newbury Soroptimist’s.