IOWD is helping eight Nigerien women, who are recovering from their fistula surgeries, to establish themselves as entrepreneurs in a start-up business. These talented craftswomen will be the core of an effort centered around the creation of beautiful jewelry and items such as jewelry pouches, shoe bags, shopping bags and wine bags that are made with local African cloth. Some of their first works have already been snapped up eagerly by the IOWD April team members and Rider University staff.

Nigerien clothing and jewelry designer Kadidiatou Mariko worked with the women 2 days a week, for 3 months, showing them how to sew the items and how to be creative using local beads. IOWD Program Coordinator, Fati Issifi, took the girls to the market where they learned to purchase cloth and beads and sewing supplies. Kadi loaned them money to buy supplies and then, when they were paid for their items, everyone returned the money to Kadi. Unquestionably, Kadi has given the eight women a gift of skills that will change their lives! The profit from the first successful sale of the items brought joy and amazement. Some of the women had NEVER seen so much money! The eight women were instructed to save some of the money for future supplies...money for supplies will not be funded by IOWD...the girls will fund this themselves!!!!! It is the beginning of real responsibility for the women and their new roles as entrepreneurs!

Our next step is to provide basic literacy for the sewing club members. Eventually, the women will open a bank account for themselves and put their money safely away. Each step will come slowly, with great care and with specific goals so that the girls will become completely independent. They are all up for the challenge!!

Fati Issifi, a multi-lingual Nigerien, with a true talent for business administration, will head-up this effort. Fati will be helping in both Niger and the United States through the summer of 2009 to ensure the new lines of products will receive the exposure they deserve. The IOWD and our friends, Living Dolls International Ambassadors, (please see details below) will be assisting Fati with establishing contacts with several well-known U.S. and international distribution channels. This project has the potential to help many recovering fistula patients to develop important skills that will help them become more self-sufficient economically and greatly increase their sense of self-esteem.

Look for some fantastic and imaginative creations coming soon!!!

"The Living Dolls International Ambassadors program will partner with IOWD to ensure that the young women who are selected from the IOWD fistula patient community find constructive ways to become empowered and financially independent. Our objective is to partner each of the young women in the pilot sewing program with ambassadors that serve as sister sponsors (someone located in USA, the UK and the Caribbean) who shall act as a mentor and patron to assist the young woman in gaining basic literacy skills, and to provide encouragement as she becomes an entreprenuer in launching this new venture. By participating as a Living Dolls International Ambassador, (LDIA) the sister ambassador will provide a one year financial commitment of a US $1.00 per day ($365.00) that will be used to assist in making this exercise a reality. The donated funds will be distributed quarterly to pay for educational support, training and to cover some of the young woman's personal needs. Some of the moneys will also be used as seed funding to support the young women in their entrepreneural venture.

The LDIA programs has also forged relationships with students from an international sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, and a few universities in the US (University of Maryland, Duke University, Medical College of New Jersey, Drexel Medical School). To date, the LDIA supporters have conducted fund raisers to purchase scrubs for the IOWD Nigerien staff; sewing machines and basic sewing and other craft tools for the young women in the program. In addition to the students affiliations, we have also created alliances with entrepreneurs in the United Kingdom -Connie's Inspirational Products, and a well known Caribbean artist Sharon Mould of the Jamaican Guild of Artist, and Douglas Berry of Berry Art and Design, to ensure that we have a diverse means of gaining broad exposure for the fistula program. Each of these participants pledge to provide on-going funding to help sustain the program to help all of the young women who desire to participate in the program to have an opportunity to develop their talents and find creative ways to express themselves in ways that are fruitful and financially liberating. We want the young women to know that IOWD has given them a second chance to live a productive and independent life. The LDIA program is here to help them take that step towards exploring the horizons. We want them to look beyond the courtyard and see an amazingly bright future filled with opportunity.

If you are interested in learning more about the LDIA program, please contact info@nigerfistula.org or if you want to donate to this worthy cause, please select the donation link on the IOWD website www.nigerfistula.org and make a direct contribution. Every dollar make a difference in the life of a young woman. Thank you for your interest and support."

- Claudette Johnson Berry, President, LDIA, United States

Fati, Mariama, Kadi, Haoua and Zalika, who is another sewing teacher.	Some of the girls displaying the finished items.
Standing from left: Mariama, Haoua, Nana Aicha, Fati, Binta, Ramatou, and Zalika Seated: Amina, Habi and Barka