HopeCraft Foundation
Giving Hope through Micro-Credit

Erin Malindy, Nyumbani’s U.S. Board Administrator, single mother of two, founded HopeCraft, Inc., a U.S. non-profit organization whose purpose is to create a global market by selling African crafts to fund micro-businesses in Africa.  The organization does this by purchasing the crafts directly from the self help groups at fair market prices so the women have immediate cash. The crafts are then imported and sold in the U.S. All profits are returned to a micro-credit program in Kenya facilitated by the Lea Toto staff. As a result, money is now available to the members of these self help groups to borrow to put their children through school, pay for housing, medical care or improve their businesses.

Along with medical and counseling services, Lea Toto, Nyumbani’s community-
based program, is looking at financial avenues to stop the cycle of poverty. One such avenue is micro-credit. Micro-credit services are needed because individuals in low income brackets are ignored by mainstream banks, leaving no financial options to pull themselves out of poverty. Micro-credit provides loans and teaches how to save, budget and expand a business. Many caregivers of the HIV+ children in the Lea Toto program have organized themselves into Self-Help Groups to pool resources and offer mutual support. Currently, Lea Toto is working with 12 self help groups to boost income-generating opportunities. Six of those groups specialize in making crafts such as leather and bead work, tie dye, weaving, and banana leaf and sisal products.

Erin was chosen from thousands of applicants that joined Oprah Winfrey’s, “Live Your Life Best Spa Week” at Miraval Spa for her healing inspiration for the poverty stricken women in Africa.  Although, Erin was pampered at the spa, she couldn’t help but feel guilty.  "I'm primarily thinking, there are women in Africa who don't have shoes," she said, "here I am being pampered." 
The organization received its name for a good reason: HopeCraft is very much
in the business of hope.

The Bridesmaid Party will help support HopeCraft, Inc. by giving back a percentage of its proceeds from all African Fair Trade Products.

Rubia
Mending Afghanistan stitch by stitch

Rubia, Inc. is a non-profit organization based in N.H. that works with Rubia in Afghanistan to serve women through education, skills training and the promotion of their hand-embroidered textiles.  Sustainable business development for impoverished women is the key to social and economic recovery.  Rubia is there in Afghanistan working toward this goal.  Embroidery has traditionally been a women’s handwork that was done to enhance their surroundings.  Rubia uses this tradition to allow women the benefit of earning an income and maintaining fragile elements of their textile heritage.  They create new traditions in textiles by translating their heritage and skills of Afghan women into sustainable livelihood.  Rubia’s commitment is to build a sustainable business in a fragile environment, empowering women while respecting their culture, and reviving and preserving traditional crafts using natural plant dyes and alternative energy sources. 

Rubia makes a difference:
More than 300 women trained in fine embroidery skills
20 home-based literacy education courses
2 elementary schools and one high school supplemented with school supplies and teaching aids
Proceeds from handwork sales and donations are used to support all aspects of Rubia’s work. 

You can make a difference too:
Your donation will keep these women working, learning and contributing toward a peaceful prosperous and secure future in Afghanistan.  Proceeds from handwork sales and donations are used to support all aspects of Rubia’s work. 

Tashakor (thankyou)

Corporate Partners

The Bridesmaid Party benefits from strong relationships with corporations interested in improving debilitating conditions in third world countries. Support ranges from financial and donated materials to build a better business community and demonstrate corporate social responsibility. We welcome corporations to join us with their support. Please contact us for more information on how you can help. Contact: info@thebridesmaidparty.com

Business Sponsors:

Impressions Bridal
Turq Jewelry
Head over Heels