Sisterhood, first and foremost; whatever we
can do to foster sisterhood in these women
19
These trips are about relationships.
and bring them together.”
are the key areas Leah and her team work towards advancing. These elements then cohesively work
together to increase overall revenue for the women in Kenya. “The more we can order from them, the
more empowered they are to pay off their debts, feed their families, take care of their medical expenses,
and to change their community,” Leah says. NOW sells the Kenya-made products in local stores and at
pop-up events.
NOW takes two trips to Kenya a year; one is a small group focused solely on design and the other is
the main trip with volunteers who interact with the two women’s groups in Kenya. “It’s a mind shift
for these teams of women and girls that go, because in this culture we are so used to, “Oh I’m going
on a mission trip. I’m going to be digging a well, building a house, painting something, digging a ditch,
working in a clinic.” This is not that kind of trip at all. These trips are about relationships. Sisterhood,
first and foremost; whatever we can do to foster sisterhood in these women and bring them together.”
The majority of a typical day could be spent sitting and rolling paper beads together while talking about
each other’s lives, learning about each other’s needs. “That’s where a lot of our projects and programs
come from,” Leah says. “They come out organically.”
Trips usually take about a year to plan (to assemble the team, get required vaccinations, raise funds etc.).
NOW does not require a membership fee, and volunteers range in age from 14-60 something. There is
an application to fill out that basically walks a potential volunteer through the reasons why they want to
be a part of something like this. “I don’t think I’ve ever turned anyone away. If we have spots, then we’ll
try to do what we can to take them,” Leah says. The next trip is scheduled for early 2021.
Leah wants NOW to continue to grow. Eventually, she would love to own her own store, but in the
meantime, she is just thrilled to have the support of local businesses. NOW does not have any paid
volunteers, including Leah. All revenue goes straight back to the women in Kenya. “I’m very blessed with
a supportive family,” Leah says. “I’m very fortunate that I can do this and work full time for no salary.
I’m so thankful for that. I would do it for free the rest of my life if that’s what it took. I just love it.”
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