Lafiya: Filling Hearts, Minds, and spirits

In January, I went on a Church of the Brethren work camp to Nigeria, where there are actually more Brethren (called EYN there) than there are in the United States. There are EYN churches all over Nigeria, but the majority are located in the north, where the extremist group Boko Haram has been wreaking havoc for several years. In fact, over 1,000 EYN churches have been destroyed by Boko Haram, and many members have fled the area and crowded into camps for Internally Displaced Persons. Our group was building a church for people who had fled from the Chibok region.

I met this beautiful young woman named Charity at the work site where we were building a church in her community. Like us, and like many other local volunteers, she was there to help carry cement and blocks when needed. Charity told me how Boko Haram had killed her father, and forced the whole family (mother and seven children) to watch. After that, the family fled to safety, and are living in Pegi, a community on the outskirts of the capitol, Abuja, where many other EYN members from Chibok are living. They long to go back to their land, where they have work and familiar culture, but it is still too dangerous. So for now, they are just waiting. 

The first weekend, our group visited two IDP camps near Abuja, where many of our church members from Chibok have fled. We were given a short tour at each one, and then encouraged to wander around and visit with people. Three little girls took my hand and led me to their homes, to meet their families, and others along the way. People told me they were unemployed and waiting. Our Nigerian leader told us, "they need work to fill their hearts, minds, and souls."

At the second camp, when I saw a young girl at a sewing machine, it "clicked" for me: the reason I had come to Nigeria, to help bring work to women in these camps, something to fill their hearts, minds and spirits. I began to think and ask around about how best to start a project in Nigeria to make things to sell in the US.

A friend who works at a Church of the Brethren nursing home had talked to me about the popularity of rice-filled pillows that could be heated in the microwave to provide a natural heating pad, or kept in the refrigerator to provide a cold pack for injuries. I decided this would be a good project to start with, as they are easy to make, and would be beautiful made from the gorgeous African Batik cotton that is everywhere in Nigeria. We could start by selling them at nursing home gift shops. I decided to call this the Lafiya Collection, Lafiya being a common Nigerian greeting, wishing health in body, mind and spirit.

At the church guest house where I was staying, on the first floor there was a tailoring workshop, where Tailor Jonathan was teaching several young women his sewing skills. At the advice of the Director of Women's Ministries, I decided to start the project here. Together, Jonathan and I worked out a design for two types of rice pillow (in 95 degree heat, it was hard to get the idea of a heating pad across!), and a walker bag. Also, I decided to have these women make infinity scarves and headbands that I usually source from Uganda.

Esther, Lydia and Blessing work with Tailor Jonathan

The first day, I met the women and told them about Omiyo and the Lafiya project. They were enthused. They told me their stories. Here are two of them:

Elizabeth is Tailor Jonathan's assistant. She is married with two daughters. This one is named Grace. Elizabeth was born to a Muslim family, but adopted by a Christian family, which was interesting, because her father had been born to a Christian family, and adopted by Muslims. She hopes to use her income from sewing to send her girls to school.

Lydia was one of the girls taking her exams at the Chibok school, when the girls were famously kidnapped by Boko Haram in April 2014. She and a friend jumped off the truck the first night, and later fled the Chibok region for safety. She is now hoping to continue her education, and hopes that by sewing she can earn money for school fees.

For now, these women are being trained in making the products that will eventually be made in the camps. Then the women who are fluent in the Chibok language will train women in the camps to make them. I'm also planning to work with a group of widows whose husbands were killed by Boko Haram, who are making natural ointments. More on that later!

Our first products are online and available for order. Check them out, along with our other beautiful batik bags here.

The Infinity Scarves are here, and the headbands are here.

And to you, we wish Lafiya: health in body, mind, and spirit!

Lafiya Walker Bag

Long Rice Therapy Pillow

Infinity Scarves

Round Rice Therapy Pillow

Headbands