Deloris Wilhelmsen

Cincinnati, OH.

My involvement with the Sew Powerful Purse charity happened by chance. After I retired, I got interested in sewing again. I wanted to learn how to make a purse, for myself. I saw the Sew Powerful video posted on YouTube. The instructions were excellent, easy to follow, and the purse was well designed. At the end of the video the instructor asks the viewer to make a purse for a girl in Zambia; explaining the program, and the need for purses. It was such a small request. I thought, "I can do that." That was three years and many purses ago.

So many of the people who are involved in this charity are religious, but it is not just a charity for religious people…I am not religious. I love this charity because it was born from the sincerest desire of a few friends to help a small group of forgotten impoverish children orphaned by AIDS. These friends had taken the teachings of Christ to heart; not by a giant philanthropic plan, but rather by small doable steps. They did what they had the means to do, expecting nothing in return. Is this not exactly what Christ taught? Many religions and cultures share the proverb "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime." The core value of this charity is teaching children at risk how to survive and experience joy.

This charity has grown considerably in its scope in just a few short years. Remarkable things have been accomplished on a shoestring budget. The purses are still an important part, for they are not just purses. They are very nice gifts that any girl would appreciate. Hope is sewn into each one so that the girl who receives it will know that she is valued and worthy of the effort that went into it. I share the Sew Powerful message whenever I can.