I have just noticed how long it has been since we posted out an update, sorry.
We’ve had a busy few months. July and August was spent planning and preparing for our first festival trade stand. We went to Greenbelt: a wonderfully eclectic activism and music event. It turned out to be total success – we sold all our dress stock by the Saturday afternoon and spent the rest of the weekend simply sharing with visitors what we did!
Since then we have been busy restocking, we’ve gone from an empty online shop to a really healthy selection of dresses. I hope to add more stock in the next few days…
I think the other big thing is the hopeful plans to visit some hubs – funding dependent…. As CEO, I have have been studying towards an MA in Theology and Mission through CMS. I am in my final year and about to embark on my dissertation. Our vision is to be a place where love and fellowship thrive, this research project is about discovering what that could look like. I’d love to use my research to include in-person observations and listening, which would involve travelling to Africa. We’ve set up a Crowdfunding campaign to see if we can enable this to happen.
if you’d like to help us achieve this then follow the link below to donate something towards the costs.
Which leaves me the joy of signing off.
May you each know God’s peace and grace as we walk towards Advent.
Maria
Maria,Good Morning,
I’ve just read about the Dorcas Project on the Church Times, and am curious to know who you work with in Tanzania. My interest arises from my support over the past 13 years or so for a small textile project based near Kisongo (10km from Arusha). There, local mainly Maasai ladies (and one young man!) learn textile skills enabling them to produce a variety of items for sale locally and here in the UK (whatever I can carry back in my luggage allowance!). This gives them some financial independence from their husbands. Some will leave the project and set up their own business. Our website is http://www.heshima.org.uk I’m happy to send a copy of our latest (Nov 2023) newsletter, which can also be found on the website
I give talks to mainly elderly groups of women in the UK, so various shopping bags and aprons tend to sell well.
I note you were at Greenbelt last year: sorry to have missed you, but it looks as though you were operating from the camp-site. Perhaps you are going this year?…if so, I’ll look out for you.
Best wishes,
Alan Cram
Hi Alan
We had a stand around the edge of the field with the main stage at Greenbelt. We were official traders and were not trading from the campsite. We will be there again this year. I’d be interested in you sending us some more information about your work, you can always email us at dorcasdressproject@gmail.com