During the reusable menstrual pad workshop, Dignity:Liberia posted a number of photos taken by Matthew Walters and various team members to our Facebook page. Today’s blog includes favorite photos taken by team members on their recent trip.
Dignity:Liberia board member Linda Thornsberry, who led the workshops, told me that on her first Saturday in Liberia, she attended an event sponsored by the Academy of Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), that included a small market of items made by women and a meeting held by the organization. Several members gave short talks. They were interested in Dignity:Liberia and asked Dignity:Liberia’s Founder and President, Kathi Gutierrez, to give a short talk. Linda spoke with several AWE members after the meeting. On the following Monday, five or more AWE members came to the Rotary Sewing Workshop in Monrovia. One of Linda’s favorite photos is of her with one of the students.
Kay Green’s favorite picture is one of her with Susie Calaway, dressed for the last day of teaching with their “class necessities” (pin cushions, patterns, etc.). They are long-time friends who get to share a common love for mankind in faraway lands. Kay and Susie have missioned together in Hawaii, Nicaragua, Ecuador, and Liberia. Liberians have stolen a piece of their hearts.
Jenneh Wilson does not have sewing skills, but helped by serving as a supply runner, making gift bags, and managing registration. She set up the chairs and fans, got water and food, and helped with sewing as best she could. Her favorite memory, however, was helping deliver a baby by c-section with Dr. Kebah at Trinity Medical Clinic. It was a life-changing experience that filled her with love and joy.
Jill Gordon wrote that there were too many touching moments to just pick one. However, she greatly admired a “creative thinking young man” who showed her weaver bird nests, babies, and an egg. He then he piled a bunch of lizards in her hand. She wrote, “He’s destined for great things.”
Susie Calaway’s heart is into helping ladies in their pregnancies, and trying to prevent fistulas, so it was a great privilege for her to step inside the maternity home, House of Hope and Dignity. She was surprised to see Friday, whom she met on the “building” trip and just had to hug him. Her favorite picture is of the two of them looking out from the maternity waiting home. She also walked the grounds, talked to a neighbor lady, who is planting a garden down past a well named “Rick’s Well,” after one of the Dignity:Advocates who helped with construction in 2021. She enjoyed reminiscing of the time she spent bagging plant cuttings under Friday’s direction, and the excitement she felt of “being a part of it all.”
Kathi Gutierrez shared the story about visiting a little hospital around the corner from where the classes were being taught in Kakata. They met a young mom who had just given birth. Kathi asked the mom if she could see her baby. The mother was very proud of her baby boy whom she had named God’s Gift. She said they had to cut her open. Kathi told her that she had the same cut when she had her son. Kathi felt moved to pay the mother’s bill after finding out how much it was. The nurses grew excited and told the woman “See? We told you this baby has destiny with God.”
As Kay wrote, the team was there for a mission - to equip girls and women to overcome the stigma of period poverty and to learn a solution to help them live a successful life. She added, “If only one student passes the skill forward, the chain reaction to changing Liberian women's lives has begun.”
This has already happened! Anne-Marie Mueller, another Dignity:Liberia board member, wrote that the ladies from the first class held in Monrovia had formed a group TEAM – Together Everyone Achieves More – and have already held a "reusable sanitary pad training session in Telecom community in Kakata, Margibi County."
Quoting Kay again: “I believe we finally have taught the correct group to keep the sewing and teaching going without us. It has been a great blessing to work with this like-minded, mission group to influence the ladies of Liberia.”
Keep an eye on our Facebook page. We will soon share photos of TEAM as well as a young lady who attended a class at Lott Carey who are keeping the “sewing and teaching” going.
Dignity:Liberia board member Linda Thornsberry, who led the workshops, told me that on her first Saturday in Liberia, she attended an event sponsored by the Academy of Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), that included a small market of items made by women and a meeting held by the organization. Several members gave short talks. They were interested in Dignity:Liberia and asked Dignity:Liberia’s Founder and President, Kathi Gutierrez, to give a short talk. Linda spoke with several AWE members after the meeting. On the following Monday, five or more AWE members came to the Rotary Sewing Workshop in Monrovia. One of Linda’s favorite photos is of her with one of the students.
Kay Green’s favorite picture is one of her with Susie Calaway, dressed for the last day of teaching with their “class necessities” (pin cushions, patterns, etc.). They are long-time friends who get to share a common love for mankind in faraway lands. Kay and Susie have missioned together in Hawaii, Nicaragua, Ecuador, and Liberia. Liberians have stolen a piece of their hearts.
Jenneh Wilson does not have sewing skills, but helped by serving as a supply runner, making gift bags, and managing registration. She set up the chairs and fans, got water and food, and helped with sewing as best she could. Her favorite memory, however, was helping deliver a baby by c-section with Dr. Kebah at Trinity Medical Clinic. It was a life-changing experience that filled her with love and joy.
Jill Gordon wrote that there were too many touching moments to just pick one. However, she greatly admired a “creative thinking young man” who showed her weaver bird nests, babies, and an egg. He then he piled a bunch of lizards in her hand. She wrote, “He’s destined for great things.”
Susie Calaway’s heart is into helping ladies in their pregnancies, and trying to prevent fistulas, so it was a great privilege for her to step inside the maternity home, House of Hope and Dignity. She was surprised to see Friday, whom she met on the “building” trip and just had to hug him. Her favorite picture is of the two of them looking out from the maternity waiting home. She also walked the grounds, talked to a neighbor lady, who is planting a garden down past a well named “Rick’s Well,” after one of the Dignity:Advocates who helped with construction in 2021. She enjoyed reminiscing of the time she spent bagging plant cuttings under Friday’s direction, and the excitement she felt of “being a part of it all.”
Kathi Gutierrez shared the story about visiting a little hospital around the corner from where the classes were being taught in Kakata. They met a young mom who had just given birth. Kathi asked the mom if she could see her baby. The mother was very proud of her baby boy whom she had named God’s Gift. She said they had to cut her open. Kathi told her that she had the same cut when she had her son. Kathi felt moved to pay the mother’s bill after finding out how much it was. The nurses grew excited and told the woman “See? We told you this baby has destiny with God.”
As Kay wrote, the team was there for a mission - to equip girls and women to overcome the stigma of period poverty and to learn a solution to help them live a successful life. She added, “If only one student passes the skill forward, the chain reaction to changing Liberian women's lives has begun.”
This has already happened! Anne-Marie Mueller, another Dignity:Liberia board member, wrote that the ladies from the first class held in Monrovia had formed a group TEAM – Together Everyone Achieves More – and have already held a "reusable sanitary pad training session in Telecom community in Kakata, Margibi County."
Quoting Kay again: “I believe we finally have taught the correct group to keep the sewing and teaching going without us. It has been a great blessing to work with this like-minded, mission group to influence the ladies of Liberia.”
Keep an eye on our Facebook page. We will soon share photos of TEAM as well as a young lady who attended a class at Lott Carey who are keeping the “sewing and teaching” going.
 | Kathy Beth Stavinoha Kathy Beth graduated from high school in Monrovia, Liberia in 1977. She retired from St. Edward’s University in 2022 after 21+ years of service. She lives in Brenham, TX with her husband and cat. |
RSS Feed