Donate Clothing for the Thrift Sale
We will collect, sort, and sell donated pieces at a community thrift sale. We hope to garner widespread community support for donations and get lots of people to shop at our sale.
View the thrift sale
Project Sewing Hope
Donate Now
Project Sewing Hope 2026 fundraiser
Donate clothes. Shop the thrift sale. Support women in Botswana.
Project Sewing Hope was started by sisters Riley and Mara after visiting Botswana and learning about the women of Moreomato village. This year, we are collecting clothing, hosting a community thrift sale, and raising funds for sewing machines, materials, and hands-on training.
What we need people to do first
Two ways to move the project forward now
Make a Monetary Donation
For those who would like to support us with monetary donations, we are setting up a GoFundMe to fund sewing machines, materials, and hands-on training.
Donate to GoFundMeCurrent progress
Our $7,500 goal
Every dollar goes directly toward sewing machines, materials, safety kits, and training support for women in Moreomato village.
- Sewing machines for the workshop
- Materials and practice fabric
- Expert training and workshop support
Upcoming 2026 event
Come shop our thrift sale!
September 12, 2026 @ 12pm
Shop gently used clothing and help turn community generosity into sewing machines and training materials for women in Moreomato village.
Every purchase helps fund Project Sewing Hope.
September 12, 12-5:30 PMWalt Whitman HS Gym 17100 Whittier Boulevard, Bethesda, MD 20817
Our story in Moreomato
Why Riley and Mara started Project Sewing Hope
While visiting Botswana, our tour guide brought us to a village and shared stories about the women there and the challenges they face. Hearing about their resilience, creativity, and need for more sustainable income opportunities inspired us to start Project Sewing Hope.
Our hope is to help women in Botswana learn sustainable skills and achieve true financial independence. More than just tools, the project is about confidence, income, repairs, uniforms, and local services that can keep helping after the fundraiser ends.
In partnership with Natural Selection Foundation
Supporting the Mmogo Centres for Women
Project Sewing Hope is inspired by the work of the Natural Selection Foundation and the Mmogo Centres for Women, which support women through craft, training, and community-based opportunity.
Skill Development
Sewing lessons, practice materials, and hands-on training.
Community Hubs
Shared tools and supplies that can keep teaching year after year.
Traditional Craft
Economic Independence
Skills that can support repairs, making, selling, and local services.
Annual archive
Our impact through the years
Project Sewing Hope is becoming an annual effort. This first year, 2026, will hold the event details, photos, totals, and stories we collect as the project begins to grow.
Crafting independence
What 2026 is building toward
Riley and Mara are beginning Project Sewing Hope with one focused goal: turn local community support into sewing machines, materials, and training that women in Moreomato can use for years.
2026 activity plan
How we are raising support this year
Community Thrift Sale
Collect clothing, prepare the sale, invite the community, and turn donated pieces into funding for sewing equipment.
GoFundMe Donations
Give people a simple direct path to help us reach the $7,500 equipment and training goal.
Bake Sales in Bethesda
Look for us in downtown Bethesda where we will be selling delicious brownies, cookies, cupcakes and breads at our bake sales.
Creative Fundraisers
We offer swim lessons, tutoring and community car washes to find new ways to help our cause.
How your donation helps
Where the $7,500 goes
Sewing machines$3,200
Fabric and practice materials$1,300
Needles, thread, scissors, rulers, and repair tools$1,100
Thrift sale supplies, signs, and setup$800
Training support and transport$1,100
Contribution Guide
$700one heavy-duty industrial sewing machine
$200one basic electric sewing machine
$30one complete sewing kit
$250startup fabric stock
Join the first year
Help shape 2026.
Donate clothing, support the GoFundMe, volunteer at a sale, or help spread the word so this first annual effort can become the start of something lasting.