Latest News

I am in the news! Well, a newsletter anyway :) Please take a moment to visit the Dream Factory website and read our newsletter. I am in the process of shifting to this amazing team and working under their projects.

This week, I started with the Buyantanshi Women's Empowerment group. This group of women is already taking advantage of micro loans and education sessions through Dream Factory. Now, along with my colleague Esther, we are teaching them knitting and mat making. The mats are really cool--they can we personalized with your name (eg Welcome to Natasha's) or with lovely pictures.

We are starting the knitting project with simple toys for kids. Here's a sample of a bunny. The ladies are all very excited about both projects.

Before we start these skill building sessions, we have an hour of English class. Our first class focused a lot on "spiting it out". Some people are quite shy but feeling confident is what learning a language is all about. By the end of the class everyone was participating really well.

Dream Factory also hosts other programs such as Adopt-A-Club (football/soccer), computer training and a Volunteer program. It's also working with a couple of community schools to enhance their programs. So, if you've considered coming to Zambia to volunteer (and visit!), please take a moment to read more on the Dream Factory website or newsletter and then get in touch.

I am also looking forward to having our old knitting group come under Dream Factory's wing. We want to continue to see that group of women thrive after all the hard work they put in. 

These programs and others don't just help individuals but help their whole (and sometimes extended) families. Zambia is about community living, so when you help one woman, it supports her children and often children that she has adopted. It is so common to hear that someone has passed away and a sister, cousin or grandmother has taken in the orphaned or abandoned children. The impact of helping one person can be very significant.

Please consider making a donation towards these projects and my time here. While I was in Canada earlier this year, I did not do any fundraising because I was in a time of transition between organizations. Now that I've got a real plan and vision ahead of me, I hope you will consider supporting these new projects. To donate click here.

Thanks,
Natasha