A Galloway woman’s African crafts stall at a Creetown cooperative has helped house an elderly woman in Kenya.
Ann Todd runs her sales space at Barholm Arts and Crafts in aid of anti-poverty campaign Project Nakuru, founded by Creetown man Eddie McGaw.
The colourful jewellery, beads and bags on display are all handmade from reclaimed and recycled plastic and paper.
All material for their manufacture by local craft workers is gathered from a giant refuse dump in Nakuru, Kenya’s fourth largest city.
Project Nakuru’s main aim is to improve the lives of children and families in one of the country’s poorest urban districts.
Recently Ann was told of an emergency situation involving Morraa, an elderly woman made homeless by floods.
And thanks to sales of Kenyan-made goods at the Barholm, Morraa now has a new abode.
Ann said: “We have been able to provide support to help complete a new house for Morraa.
“Hopefully this week the builders will be able to carry out the necessary work to finish the house off.
“That will allow Morraa to move into her new home which will be safe and dry.”
Ann initially set up in the Barholm thinking it would only be for a couple of months.
Two years later her African counter is still going strong thanks to an arrangement with the artists’ group who manage it.
Ann said: “They are perfectly happy for me to continue having crafts in the shop and I volunteer there two or three days a month in exchange.
“All the money from sales of the crafts is ploughed back in to supporting our projects in Nakuru.”
Ann also raises funds for the Kenya aid programme at car boot sales and by knitting items for sale.
“The women, children and families we help out are living with nothing.”
