Approximately 50 volunteers turned up Saturday at the SeaScout Center in Naples to assist Los Alamitos teenager Jessica Ridgeway as she prepares for her return to Kenya with another 500 feminine kits for young African girls.
Volunteers from throughout the area brought their sewing machines and supplies as they gathered for the day to cut and sew cotton fabric into feminine hygiene pads. The pads are collected by Ridgeway’s nonprofit, African Sisterhood and will be delivered by Ridgeway to Africa this summer.
Ridgeway, who graduated last year from Los Alamitos High School, founded African Sisterhood, a nonprofit organization based in Los Alamitos whose mission it is to “empower young women.”
Women, and men, of all ages turned up to help out as Sisterhood’ has committed to deliver another 500 educational preservation kits to Kenya this summer.
While visiting Kenya at the age of 15, Ridgeway learned the tragic fate of young African girls who were forced to miss school, or in some cases, sent home from school, simply because they did not have the proper feminine products.
Upon her return to Los Alamitos, Ridgeway founded a nonprofit organization with the help of her mom and dad, Tricia and Bill Ridgeway. Ever since, she and her family have been recruiting volunteers to create ‘kits’ to empower young women.
Each ‘kit’ includes several cotton feminine pads, soap, instructions and a wash cloth for cleaning. Also included is a personal note of support from a volunteer.
“I am so thankful to everyone for their support,” said Ridgeway, who was present at the “sew day” on Saturday. She is currently a freshman at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix yet drove back to attend the event.
Volunteers included women from the Rossmoor Woman’s Club, supporters and friends like Krista Hall, who came to the event with her teenaged girls to help. “I am just so impressed. It was about a year and a half ago when I heard what Jessica was doing. I think what Jessica is doing is a great example for our daughter and her friends,” said Hall.
It also illustrates the needs in other parts of the world, she added.
Tricia Ridgeway, who runs the nonprofit, says the organization is attracting support both locally and around the country, with sewing parties and volunteers now located in Florida, Texas and other parts of the country.
Ridgeway’s effort will be the subject of a documentary film entitled “Stitched at the Heart.” It will premiere at the Art Theater of Long Beach March 21. For ticket information, call 562-708-9016 or visit www.africansisterhood.org.
