© Stitches of Hope & Design Sense Graphics & Web 2018

 

There is a time to mend. - Ecclesiastes 3:7

Beginnings - The Power of One

 

Stitches of Hope started with the passion and desire of one person, Kay Eva from Gidgegannup, Western Australia.

 

As a teenager, Kay had a dream to work in a third world country and give all that she had to raise the skills ability and living conditions of as many people as possible.

 

Forty years later this dream eventuated. After being seriously ill with ovarian and bowel cancer, the realisation of how short life can be and the blessing of having a second chance, Kay made the decision to move forward and set about realising this dream.

 

In October 2004 she joined a group of fourteen people from Riverview Church in Perth, Western Australia and went on a life-changing Awareness Trip to Cambodia for ten days.

 

This trip deeply impacted her and she returned home with a burning desire to raise the funds and return to teach sewing to underprivileged women and young girls who would otherwise most likely lured into trafficking and sweat shop situations which are ramapant.

 

As a country girl Kay is aware that country people don't have the same access to opportunities that exist in the city, so quite deliberately several of the projects she and Chanthy have established are in rural areas.  The selection of which small rural communities to support was guided by Chanthy and Narith Long, Stitches of Hope staff in the founding years.

 

Since Kay's first trip to Cambodia, she has returned more than 30 times, working tirelessly to help Cambodian mums and dads, boys and girls to gain a better way of life.

 

In recognition of the impact for good that she has made, she was nominated as Australian of the Year 2011.