Katharine Hamnett, creator of the 80’s slogan t-shirt, has donated her slogan CHOOSE LOVE – a twist on her iconic CHOOSE LIFE slogan and it is used on t-shirts sold through the charity Help Refugees (https://helprefugeeschooselove.teemill.co.uk). They are made from 100% organic cotton and produced in an ethically accredited wind-powered factory. The money goes to provide aid for the most vulnerable people currently reaching Europe’s shores explains the charity (http://www.helprefugees.org.uk)
Small Steps Project (www.smallstepsproject.org) In her 20s Amy Hanson went to South East Asia and here she saw the horror of children living on waste dumps – they were naked, playing in filth and eating rubbish.
The thing they said they really wanted was wellington boots so Amy set about raising £3,000 and took the boots out and that was the starting point for her charity Small Steps charity which now provides emergency aid, footwear and food to the children living on these landfill sites in Cambodia, Laos and Romania.
She recently teamed up with Gum-tec Gumboots ((http://www.mygumboots.com). For every pair of Gum-tec® Gumboots someone buys, they send a pair of their boots to a child living on Cluj Landfill site in Romania.
We help those living in orphanages, slums, IDP camps and schools, as well as providing underwear to hospitals to help those suffering from medical conditions like obstetric fistula.
Through ongoing discussions with distributors and an increased knowledge of the challenges they are facing, we also established an education programme which supports some of the poorest children in countries where we have a presence, to access education.
Maria Macnamara, Founder and CEO of Smalls for All (www.smallsforall.org) a Scottish Charity which collects and distributes underwear to women and children in Africa says:’Giving pants and bras may seem like a small thing, but it can make a life-changing difference, for example having pants can help teenage girls complete their education without having to miss school each month during their period.’
She was motivated at the start recalling a priest in Zimbabwe speaking about the lack of underwear and the problems this can cause. ‘Not only is it a health and hygiene problem for many poor African communities, as women often only own one pair of tattered pants or have none at all’ she explains ‘but underwear is also seen as a status symbol and offers a degree of security.
Women who can afford underwear tend to be seen as having someone who cares for them – a husband, brother or father. They are not on their own so they are not seen as vulnerable.’