Botswana Project 2010

What beautiful things you have sent me for the Botswana Project!! Since my last post, there has been a knit avalanche coming in!

Sweaters donated by Anne Marie, Shaz, Beverly, Patricia, Jill, Sally, Angie and me:



Scarves/shawlettes from Patricia, Shaz and Anne Marie:



Legwarmers and slippers from Anne Marie and Sally:



Two dozen hats (!!) from Vickie, Bev, Beverly, Debbie, Maria, and Patricia:



And a blanket from Regina:



My photos don't do justice to your beautiful work.

Our grand total for this collection is:

28 hats
18 sweaters
5 scarves/shawlettes
4 blankets
2 slippers/leg warmers

You are all so incredibly awesome! Thank you!

First Ones In!

The first two donations for the January 2010 Botswana Project collection have arrived! Check out the two hats and two scarves that I received from niftyknitter:



And Eliza brought three baby blankets with her when she came for Thanksgiving!



Thank you to niftyknitter and Eliza for such lovely gifts!

Botswana and Beyond!!!

Some of your gifts to the Botswana Project, delivered last spring.

You have all been so generous and loving in making gifts for children that we have more than our volunteers from Penn can carry to Botswana. The good news is that Botswana is not the only place that Penn sends doctors and nurses.

I am thrilled to announce an EXPANSION of The Botswana Project to Mbagathi Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. This hospital is the only hospital serving the Kibera slum in Nairobi. There are approximately one million people living in Kibera, and less than 500 healthcare workers at Mbagathi. Thousands of children are HIV positive, and thousands more have lost a family member to AIDS. Mbagathi has a large pediatric clinic with a number of children's programs, and some of your future donations will be carried to Mbagathi by doctors from Penn's Global Health Equities Residence track. This video will give you an idea of what conditions are like in Kibera, and the amazing work done at Mbagathi Hospital. NB: the video was made by the group Physicians for Human Rights, not by Penn.



We need hand made hats, sweaters, blankets and toys for children of all ages. Sturdy wool, cotton and acrylic fibers are all welcome. The deadline for this collection round is December 31st. Your donations will be carried to Botswana and Mbagathi Hospital by volunteers from Penn. Please email Knittah with questions, or for the address to send your gifts. Thank you thank you thank you for showing these children that you care.