Craft Hope Challenge!

As I mentioned at the guild meeting, Craft Hope (an organization I have supported in the past by making soft toys, quilted bags and aprons) has just launched their 25th project - We Are Kenya.

From the Craft Hope website:
"We Are Kenya is an organization who believes that one way to change a society is to change the future of it's youth. They are a nonprofit dedicated to feeding and educating sweet children in the slums of Soweto, Kenya. Soweto is the second largest slum in Kenya and home to We Are Kenya. Soweto is a large slum whose people daily struggle with sickness, crime, hunger, and hopelessness that results from severe poverty. In a slum where many children have one or no parent, the daily quest for food supersedes any hope for education."

They are asking for many different kinds of items for the children and young people they support, including soft toys, knitted/crochets hats and scarves, and the project closest to my heart - reusable cloth sanitary napkins. As someone who has had the privilege of an extended education well into my adult years, it breaks my heart to think that others eager to learn might be stopped by something as simple and natural as their monthly cycle.

I've put together a few links below with free tutorials describing multiple different methods of making cloth pads. The basic ingredients are usually 100% cotton fabric plus some 100% cotton absorbent fabric such as flannel, terry cloth or cotton batting, with the potential to add in a waterproof/resistant fabric such as PUL or micro fleece. I'll leave it up to your judgement which pattern and materials you think would work best. Many patterns include some form of wings with a snap fastener. I have purchased snap pliers and about 200 snaps and would be happy to install them for anybody who doesn't have this doo-dad.

The deadline for sending items to Craft Hope is November 15th, so if you'd like me to install snaps and mail them off together please bring your napkins to the next meeting! You are of course welcome to mail anything you make individually.

Thanks for taking the time to do this!

Tina

TUTORIALS:
http://mabewithlove.wordpress.com/2014/01/03/cloth-pad-tutorial-exposed-core-overcast-edge/
http://www.millennium-ark.net/News_Files/INFO_Files/menstrual.html
https://sites.google.com/site/shewhorunsintheforest/0011
http://www.daysforgirls.org/#!days-for-girls-patterns-and-instructions/cz7w
http://www.kamsnaps.com/How-to-Make-a-Mama-Cloth-Menstrual-Pad-63.html

EDITED to add: I asked and Craft Hope/We are Kenya would also like waterproof bags for carrying the napkins if anyone feels so inclined :)