Sew Much Hope
Support our artisans and shop our line of handmade totes and accessories
Sew Much Hope Project is the collaborative social enterprise program of RAMWI. The purpose of this program is to create access to economic development and a safe, culturally informed environment for women to learn new skills, build confidence and have an empowered sense of personal agency. The women in the social enterprise work together to sew high-quality women’s accessories and home decor items, which are sold on our website and at local craft markets. As a result, the women working in Sew Much Hope Project feel empowered in their abilities, healed through the power of connecting with other women, rooted in their new home, and proud of refugee and migrant women’s contributions to our local economy and the greater community. Many women who start working in our social enterprise go on to participate in WEL Institute programs like Intro to Entrepreneurship.
Bringing community awareness to refugee issues is another important part of our mission. As part of our community outreach, we partner with other value-driven businesses to create their hand-made products, thus connecting our women to more opportunities.
How Can You Help?
There are many ways to support our social enterprise program. If you are interested in partnering or sponsoring Sew Much Hope - a RAMWI Project, please contact Courtney Erickson, Director of Social Enterprise, at courtney@ramwi.org. Here are some ways to help.
Sponsor a Training Class ($5,000): Help us empower new refugee women who want to participate in our program but need to learn how to sew. Sponsoring a class covers the cost of written materials, interpreters, fabric and sewing notions, and a new sewing machine for each woman to use at home upon course completion.
Sponsor sewing supplies ($250): A lot of the fabric we use comes from a SARA-Niger, a vocational school for marginalized women in Niger, Africa, thus maximizing our social impact at every step of our supply chain. Help us cover the costs of importing our beautiful fabric.
Sponsor a Refugee Woman ($160): Supporting our local refugee and migrant women to attend will ensure she has a meal, transportation, or other items they may need to ensure their success.
Sponsor a Market ($100): Help offset the cost of going to markets by sponsoring our market fees!
Sponsor sewing machine maintenance ($80): Our sewing machines work hard for us and they need regular cleaning and professional maintenance to keep them running in tiptop condition!
In-Kind Sponsorship: Donate your time, services, or skills to support Sew Much Hope and refugee women (i.e., photography, grant writing, social media, web design, sewing, or design expertise).
