Crocheting Community Connections

Picture a group of African women sitting around talking. A shade tree protects them from the hot sun. A gentle breeze pushes sand along the ground. Kids laugh and play in the background. A baby cries.

Now picture a few of the women in the group crocheting. One is crocheting a small blanket. One puts the finishing stitch on a hat. Another is halfway through a pair of tiny socks.

This is my vision of the future in Pemba, Mozambique.

In my first few months in Pemba, three of the ladies I knew had babies. By the end of my first year, I knew at least ten new babies and several more pregnant ladies. Each newborn is bundled up in fabric to keep it warm.

I have decided to use some of my free time in the U.S. to learn how to crochet. I want to crochet baby blankets, hats, and socks. My desire is to bring this new skill back to Pemba. I want to have gifts ready for women who have had babies while I was gone. I also want to teach a few of the women how to crochet.

I told Mama R what I'm doing, and she got excited. She asked questions and wanted to see the blanket I had started. She wants to learn how to crochet as soon as I come back to Pemba.

I was able to buy soft yarn and two hooks at a closing sale. I will start a few projects while I'm here. Then I will take the rest back to Pemba to teach Mama R how to crochet.

Imagine weaving your way through shacks in an African community. Chickens scatter before you, children call out to you, and the smell of fish assaults your nose. You meet several new babies, each bundled up in a colorful blanket. A mother gently pulls a hat and socks on as the sun sinks below the horizon.