Project Sewing Hope 2026 fundraiser

We reached our goal—thank you!

Project Sewing Hope helps women in Moreomato village access sewing machines, materials, and hands-on training. Together, you helped us raise $11,000 and exceed our $10,000 fundraising goal. Thank you to everyone who donated, shopped, volunteered, and cheered us on.

See the sale success Why it matters

Goal reached

What your support makes possible

Your generosity helped us raise $11,000. We have spent $800 on supplies, leaving $10,200 available for the next stage of the sewing program in Moreomato village. That is still above our original $10,000 goal!

Raised$11,000

Spent on supplies$800

Funds remaining$10,200

Fundraising is now closed. Thank you to everyone who helped us reach our goal!

Event success

From donated clothes to real support.

Before the sale, volunteers collected bags of clothing, made signs, sorted donations, built racks, and turned the gym into a full thrift market. On sale day, families, students, friends, and neighbors came to shop and support the project.

Our thrift sale and the continued generosity of our supporters have helped Project Sewing Hope reach $11,000 raised. After $800 in supply costs, $10,200 remains to support sewing machines, materials, and hands-on training in Moreomato village. The event showed how donated clothes, time, and teamwork can become real tools for women in Botswana.

$11,000 raisedSale completedSupporting women in Moreomato

A bright gym filled with clothing racks and shoppers at the Project Sewing Hope thrift sale — Sale day filled the gym with racks, shoppers, and support.

Bags of donated clothing collected before the thrift sale — Donations came in by the bag before the sale.

Handmade thrift sale posters being created with colorful markers — Handmade signs helped bring people in.

Several colorful handmade thrift sale and checkout signs on the floor — Every detail was made by hand.

Volunteers sorting clothing outside beside racks before the thrift sale — Volunteers sorted, carried, and organized every rack.

A close-up of colorful clothing and denim hanging on a rack — Clothing was organized so shoppers could browse easily.

A volunteer adjusting a clothing rack before the thrift sale — Racks were built and filled piece by piece.

Community members browsing clothing racks during the thrift sale — People came to shop, donate, and cheer the project on.

Shoppers browsing a long row of clothing racks at the thrift sale — Shoppers moved through rows of donated clothes.

Supporters checking out at the thrift sale table — Checkout turned each purchase into support for the sewing program.

Friends and volunteers standing behind a table during the Project Sewing Hope thrift sale — Friends and volunteers helped make the day happen.

A few volunteers smiling behind the Project Sewing Hope checkout table — A few of the checkout helpers during the sale.

A handmade thrift sale sign taped to a brick wall — A community sale with one bigger purpose.

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.

Women sitting together at a craft centre in Botswana

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.

Natural Selection Foundation Mmogo Centres project

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. Our 2026 archive brings together the event photos, fundraising totals, and community effort that launched the project.

2026

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. With $11,000 raised and our fundraising goal exceeded, we are documenting the first year’s impact. After $800 in supply costs, $10,200 remains for the next stage.

Raised$11,000

Year2026

Main focusEvent impact

Women and craft goods at a community market

What your support makes possible

Our original $10,000 program budget

This is our original spending plan, not a record of purchases. We have raised $11,000, spent $800 on supplies, and have $10,200 remaining.

Sewing machines$4,500

Fabric and practice materials$1,800

Needles, thread, scissors, rulers, and repair tools$1,400

Training support$1,300

Transport and setup support$1,000

Equipment Cost Guide

$700one heavy-duty industrial sewing machine

$200one basic electric sewing machine

$30one complete sewing kit

$250startup fabric stock

You made this possible

Goal reached. Next comes the impact.

Thank you for helping us raise $11,000. With $800 spent on supplies and $10,200 remaining, we are ready for the next stage of supporting sewing skills and opportunity in Moreomato.

See the fundraising breakdown