Littlethings works to bring empowerment opportunities to young women in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Littlethings featured scholar of the month...
MERVEILLE
GOMA
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Jerome O. Nelson
Chicago, IL
Bree A. Stairs
Portland, OR
Sarah Thontwa
Gemena, DRC
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Mr. Boy is an English tutor. He teaches English grammar and conversation to the girls 4 times per week. Mr Boy is an English teacher at the local private high school called les Aiglons.
Merci lives in Gemena and works at a private school as a secondary school teacher. He has taught for 13 years in Congo today he is helping littlethings by tutoring the girls in speaking and writing French. He has graduated high school with a focus in general pedagogie.
In the future Mr. Dengwate would like to continue his studies as well as remain involved in educating the children of the Congo.
Genevieve (GV) is a single mom to two children. She works part time as the librarian for the CEUM office in Gemena. She is part of the Amina group and also serves as the program officer for littlethings in Gemena. GV coordinates activities and follows up with the girls when Sarah is not in Gemena.
Merveille manages and controls the monthly distribution of supplys to the girls. Once per month she distributes hygienic kits to the girls (soaps, lotion, toothpaste, pads ect) who in return must sign in her book. She also controls the accountability materials at littlethings.(for example, each person signs in prior to taking out any toy or material and is accountable to protect and return the taken item in a good condition.)
David is a new addition to the littlethings family. He tutors Olga, little Rachel and Ma Vicky in reading, math and science. He is from Gemena and teaches at the local high primary called les Aiglons.
Interested in donating or making a revolving or one-time contribution to support Littlethings? Our funding comes from jewelry and other textile sales, sponsorships and donations. We keep our operating costs as low as possible, and each little thing each gift, makes a huge difference. Please consider partnering with us through a one-time tax deductible donation, or through a long-term partnership. Littlethings is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating under the charitable code of the internal revenue service. All donations are tax deductible.
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Hearing about the success and sales of the Amine group, many women approached Sarah with business ideas of their own, a desire for financial independence, but no capital.
Littlethings soon added another aspect of its programming to address the inflow of proposals: the Empowerment Circle. With as minimal bureaucracy as possible, Little Things provides loans to businesswomen in the area who need funding for their enterprises. Offering $50 or $100 loans, and increased amounts if projects prove stable, Little Things does not charge any interest but requires that money be repaid according to an agreed timeline.
Exceptional education is comprehensive, empowering, and gives freedom: freedom of choice and freedom of future. In the DRC, education, let alone good education, is a luxury. School fees are high and dont include the multitude of other items each student must purchase before entering the classroom, including uniforms, books, notebooks, and other materials. Most families cannot afford to send any children to school, and the ones that can usually will send the boys of the family; it is the role of a girl to learn only about the homemaker domain of a woman in preparation of being a good wife and mother.
Little Things has redefined this. In the village of Gemena in northern Congo, Sarah Thontwa a woman who was raised in the region, through Little Things has created a program to ensure that bright, ambitious, curious, young girls with a thirst of education are given everything they need to succeed in the role they choose for their future.
There are many women in the DRC who are passed the stage of education and who face a different set of challenges and difficulties. Under heavy constraints, a Congolese woman is charged with raising her children, cooking, cleaning, and in many cases finding the money to fund education and healthcare for her family.
When Sarah had established the education program, she began to search for means to aid other women trapped in the constant scramble to provide for their families. She found many women who wanted to learn a skill but who lacked a teacher and proper resources.
"The mission of Littlethings is exciting to me because of its simplicity and tangibility, and my belief in the commitment of its creators and supporters."
From Shy to Dancing: Stories from Our Girls in Gemena
MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2010 AT 02:29PM
This is a story that our Founder and CEO, Sarah Thontwa, shared with us about how our work on the ground is taking shape in the lives of our supported students. This story makes my volunteer work for Littlethings worthwhile.
We had an event last Saturday. The girls liked the idea of doing a sport, so we bought a new soccer ball and formed a team. Other girls from the local orphanage were invited to join us at the field and we played. The game was fun! They really enjoyed getting out there, running, jumping and playing around.
One thing caught my eye and I, wanted to share it with you. It seems like only yesterday, 3 months ago actually, I spoke with my friend in the US telling her about our girls. They are so shy, I told her. I don't know what to do, they barely look at me in the eyes and cover their faces when talking to me. Be patient Sarah, she says. Growth takes time...
The same girls that couldn't say one word without me asking a question at least three times are now changing. For example, they show up at my house on their own, often to visit or simply because they want to play. They bring in homework (I can't teach them anymore due to my heavy work and travel schedule), so I hired a couple of people to tutor them after school. And after doing homework they want to look at newspapers, or sing and even dance! The other day, my laptop was playing music in the house when all of a sudden they all got up and started to dance. It was so precious to see and I couldn't believe that the same girls who couldn't speak before were actually a little more confident to get up on their own and dance...
At the soccer field, the game was great except it drew attention from all around. People came, mostly young men and boys asking why a brand new soccer ball was given to girls, demanding that they would take our new soccer ball and give them their old one (girls don't play soccer, you don't need a nice new one, they were saying), they wanted to know why there was much attention and care towards girls all of a sudden...
One 15 years old boy looked at a girl, from the neighborhood that came to play with us, and said, ''You are so ugly. Among all of your friends, you really are ugly. The non Littlethings girl that was being insulted looked down and did not say anything. I was watching the conversation from afar when one of our girls jumped in. Her name is Merveille. She came to the girl that was insulted and said, You are not ugly! Oh my God, look at him and tell him that you are not ugly, and that you are beautiful! She looked at me and said, Isn't that right Ya Sarah (ya is a polite way to refer to someone older that you respect).
Yes, I replied. The girl with her head down said this quietly to the boy, I am not ugly, I am beautiful! And the game continued.
What I saw last Saturday was the slight difference that our girls have comparing to others. They are becoming more aware of what is being said to them and can jump in to speak confidence to someone else.
And I was pleased.
Isn't this the mission of Littlethings? Helping marginalized young girls see themselves with different eyes and instilling confidence in them?
Thought this may encourage you a little bit.
Exceptional education is comprehensive, empowering, and gives freedom: freedom of choice and freedom of future. In the DRC, education, let alone good education, is a luxury. School fees are high and dont include the multitude of other items each student must purchase before entering the classroom, including uniforms, books, notebooks, and other materials. Most families cannot afford to send any children to school, and the ones that can usually will prefer to invest in the boys. Girls are less encouraged to pursue education but extremely pressured to learn about the homemaker domain only, in preparation of being a good wife and mother. Girls are in charge of collecting firewoods, fetching water, cooking, selling at the market, taking care of their younger siblings, etc.
For those in the program, not only are school fees paid, but each girl is given school supplies and hygiene products, and all of their health care is provided. Tutors are hired to reinforce and expand what each girl learns in school, and when necessary some individuals are sent to the capitol to pursue further learning in their field.
However, the most unique and outstanding aspect of this branch of Little Things is the personal mentorship and friendship Sarah cultivates with each participant. Every afternoon Sarah meets with the girls to discuss their lives, their problems, and what it means to be a woman. She knows each of their stories and is able to fill in the gaps in their education. Other female leaders are also invited to speak to the group about a range of topics and once a month all the girls come together to play a game of soccer or just have fun.
In return, the girls have to demonstrate drive and commitment to their education. They are evaluated not by their grades or level, but by how much effort they invest in the program. Sarah supports the girls through primary and secondary school and intends to facilitate their higher education in Congo or abroad as well.
Girls involved with Little Things are given the tools needed to make an informed choice about their future. Whether they want to be doctors, teachers, homemakers, etc., Little Things provides them with the personal support, friendship, self-confidence, education, and resources necessary to pursue their dreams and inspire other women along the way.
Criteria for entering the Little Things Education Program is fluid, and each girl comes to the organization in a different way. Sarah, with her intimate knowledge of the region and many personal relationships with community leaders and educators, analyzes the needs of the area and observes the students who have been recommended or who have approached her with interest in Little Things. After observing each candidate in and outside of the classroom, Sarah conducts a formal interview where she speaks with the girls about their future goals and drive and desire for education.
Girls who enter the program have to be willing to work hard for what they want this is the only condition for maintaining involvement with Little Things; current academic level and grades are not factors. The girls have to understand that while their education is a great opportunity, there will be many challenges ahead; they have to hold a willingness to persevere for what they want.
As long as they dont give up on themselves, Little Things will not give up on its participants and will continue to push and support them in every aspect. If the girls continue to invest energy and passion in their education, the program intends to provide for the girls until they have graduated high school or from a university -depending on their personal and professional goals.
ADELINE BULUNU
Adeline is one of the most recent additions to the littlethings program. She is a strong young woman who has taken up the role of mother in her household, caring for her own sick mother and the rest of the family. She wakes up early every morning to help her siblings get ready for school, and after her own class she goes to the market to buy food, then cooks, cleans, visits her mother in the hospital, and manages the home.
Although Adelines father works, he rarely receives a salary, so it was difficult for Adeline to afford school. Sarah took her into the program because she is smart, kind, and never had a chance to escape and be a young girl without serious responsibilities.
Adeline is entering high school and wants to be a doctor so she can take care of sick people.
OLGA DELINGO
Olga is a very lively young woman with a unique stage personality; she has struggled against remarkable odds for her education.
Both of Olgas parents died when she was young and her education was severely limited. When Sarah first met Olga at the orphanage in Gemena, the outgoing girl was nine years old going into 5th grade, but couldnt read anything that she wrote in her notebook; no one had taken the time to teach her the alphabet. After joining littlethings, Olga visited Sarah every day after school to catch up on her reading and writing skills. Now, with the help of a tutor and due to her own perseverance, Olga is doing wonderfully in school, is passing all her classes, and can recite the alphabet proudly.
Olga is currently going into 4th grade and wants to be a doctor or president when she finishes school.
PATIENCE KILEYA
Patience Kileyas father was a soldier who died during the civil war. Like Eyenga, Patience goes to school in the morning and tours the town selling produce for her mother in the afternoon; the money earned from the sales feeds her family. Her mother also participates in Empowerment Circle, using loan funds to improve her business.
Patience is very athletic and loves playing soccer. Littlethings recently paid the $50 for Patience to have surgery to remove a hernia that has plagued her since the age of five; even though the malady sometimes prevented her from walking it was never treated because of lack of funds.
Patience is starting high school and wants to be a nurse, nutritionist, or athlete.
MERVEILLE GOMA
Merveille is a remarkably outgoing young woman who is a neighbor of Sarah and signed herself up for the program; when she wants something she works until she succeeds. She is one of the girls whose parents are involved in what she does and want to invest in her, but are restricted by limited means.
Merveille has a dominant personality and always speaks her mind, defending others around her. When young girls are harassed by boys, Merveille always comes to their defense, encouraging her friends to stand up for themselves.
Merveille is going into 7th grade and wants to be a lawyer
littlethings is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating under the charitable code of the internal revenue service. all donations are tax deductible.
copyright © 2009, littlethings. all rights reserved.
Jocelyn Demomo
Jocelyn is a young girl with vision. As an infant her father passed away and mother abandoned her, and thus Joce spent her early years being raised by an aunt. Along with Joce and Olga, the aunt attempted to care for 13 other relatives and unfortunately did not have the resources to send them all to school.
As a young girl, Joce was then sent to live with another female relative in Gemena. She was put to work in the household , forced to cook, clean, care for the other children of the family, and do extra work to find the money for school fees. The house labor was difficult and Joce escaped, traveling the 75 km back to her hometown where she was invited to journey again back to Gemena and live at the orphanage. She accepted and was soon approached by Sarah who noticed Joces inquisitive nature and hunger for education.
Since joining littlethings, Joce has demonstrated remarkable drive and a passion for a better future. She is currently writing a story about her life which she wants to publish to encourage and empower young girls in similar situations. She is learning English and is one of the leaders of the littlethings group - always helping her friends and classmates.
Joce is currently attending a boarding school in Kinshasa where she will have access to a better education. She wants to be a gynecologist.
Marthe Kongba
Marthe is a fiercely intelligent and curious young woman living at the orphanage in Gemena. After her father passed away, Marthes mother struggled to feed the family. When Marthe was invited along with other girls to live in the orphanage in Gemena, she left her family and moved the 75 kms to her new home. Sarah first came across Marthe as she accompanied other girls already involved in the littlethings program to events. She was anxious to learn, and although she suffers from a skin disease, she never let anything hold her back or distract her from pursuing her future.
Marthe is an exceptional reader. She will be attending high school next year and hopes to be a doctor.
SARAH BOYAZAYA
Littlethings came to fruition in part as a result of an encounter Sarah Thontwas had with Sarah Boyazaya, the first student littlethings sponsored. Sarah lives in the same part of Kinshasa as the Thontwa family and sells vegetables to people in the neighborhood in order to support her own family. Sarah Thontwa met Sarah for the first time while home on holiday in 2007 when she arrived at the Thontwas with her produce. During the conversation they had and a subsequent conversation with her mother, Sarah Thontwa learned that Sarah didnt attend school; her family did not have the money to send her. Sarahs father had passed away leaving her mother with six children to support. The entrance, uniform, and school supply fee of $150.00 USD was not a sum Sarahs mother could afford to pay. Sarah Thontwa returned to the States intent on finding the funding to send Sarah and other girls she met to school.
Sarah is finishing primary school and wants to be a doctor after she finishes her education.
CHANTAL KOMBATI
Chantal is an extraordinary young woman with an I can do it. I am here. attitude. Her father passed away from AIDS and her mother is currently sick and has been unable to provide for Chantal and her brothers. Chantals mother put her and her brother on a bike and sent them to a local orphanage in Gemena.
Despite so many hardships seen through her young eyes, Chantal has a light that shines through; she has no self-pity. When she first attended school with the help of littlethings in Gemena, she was unafraid and not timid, greeting and introducing herself to every student and administrator in the school.
Chantal is in 5th grade and wants to be a nurse.
ELISE GBABESE MOTEMO
Elises father deserted her mother when she was a toddler, leaving her mother Genevieve (who is now a program manager for littlethings) to raise two daughters and pay for their education herself. Elise is intelligent and her mother sent her to school when money was available, but financial difficulties prevented her from attending class on a regular basis.
Elise is inquisitive, quiet, learns quickly, and loves studying English. She has three more years left in school and afterwards wants to run a business.
Hearing about the success and sales of the Amine group, many women approached Sarah with business ideas of their own, a desire for financial independence, but no capital. Little Things soon added another aspect of its programming to address the inflow of proposals: the Empowerment Circle. With as minimal bureaucracy as possible, Little Things provides loans to businesswomen in the area who need funding for their enterprises. Offering $10, $50 or $100 loans, and increased amounts if projects prove stable, Little Things does not charge any interest but requires that money be repaid according to an agreed timeline.
Many women use their resources to buy products in outside towns and resell fish, plastic dishware, clothing, etc. in local markets. So far all first-time loans have been repaid and second issued loans are in the process of being repaid. Participants in the Empowerment circle have raised money to pay for childrens education, family healthcare, and to increase their business.
There are many women in the DRC who are passed the stage of primary and secondary education and who face a different set of challenges and difficulties. Under heavy constraints, a Congolese woman is charged with raising her children, cooking, cleaning, and in many cases finding the money to fund education and healthcare for her family.
When Sarah had established the education program, she began to search for means to aid other women trapped in the constant scramble to provide for their families. She found many women who wanted to learn a skill but who lacked a teacher and proper resources. In her search, Sarah came across a woman named Abeti Amina who had come from Central African Republic to settle in the DRC. Amina had advanced skill in making intricate handbags from nylon thread and although she tried to sell her product at local markets, there were few clients.
So a group of women were called together to brainstorm the details of an income-generating project, and thus the Amina group was formed. Under the instruction of Amina herself, the ten women in the group (and the number is steadily rising), learn to craft beautiful handbags. The thread is supplied by littlethings and the finished bags are sold in boutiques in Chicago and Minneapolis with all profits going directly to the individual who constructed the bag. Participants use their income to pay for their childrens education, healthcare costs, or other business investments.
MA VICKI BINGOND
Ma Vicki is one of the youngest participants in littlethings. Her parents are both alive but financially challenged. Ma Vickis mother was helping to raise her niece Alphonsine and first brought the older family member to Sarah, asking for help with the girls education. After accepting Alphonsine in the program, Sarah learned that Mrs. Bingond was raising five daughters of her own along with other relatives, and decided to include the youngest - Ma Vicki - in the program.
Ma Vicki is smart, clever, funny, and laughs a lot. She is in primary school and wants to run a program like littlethings - helping young women get an education - when she is finished with school.
EYENGA BUSHEBU MBIDI
Eyenga Mbidis father was a soldier who died during the civil war. Her mother raises the children by herself, but is old. The family struggled to send all the children to school, and Eyenga would often sell produce throughout the town for her mother in order to raise funds to pay for food and basic needs. Due to financial difficulties, as she got older Eyenga was unable to afford school altogether. Mrs. Mbidi approached Sarah when she arrived in Gemena, sharing her story and the promise of her youngest daughter.
After joining littlethings, Eyenga has excelled in school. She still helps her mother sell items in the market after class is dismissed, but has also been able to make time to play and learn with the other girls in littlethings. Additionally, Eyenga's mother participates in the Empowerment Circle program of littlethings, using loan funds to improve her business.
Eyenga is in her 5th year and she wants to be a teacher.
ALPHONSINE BIMBOYI
Alphonsine Bimboyi is a teenage girl who ran away from home due to her father's abusive character. Her mom, a victim of domestic violence, is often physically beaten by her husband. Unfortunately, he would also take his anger out on his children, especially Alphonsine if and when she wouldn't reveal where her mother was hiding. Her mom still endures this marriage and abusive relationship due to the lack of resources intended to help women in such situations, but Alphonsine ran away to live with a relative.
After being introduced to littlethings, Alphonsine has once again enrolled in school, and with the help of a tutor, is learning steadily. Her confidence has improved as well; the quiet girl who rarely smiled now laughs and jokes along
Alphonsine just finished primary school and will be starting high school. She wants to become an educator because [she] love[s] children and want[s] to set better examples for them.
ASTA YANA
Asta's father passed at age of 3 and her mother left for an unknown destination when she was 9 years old. She moved back and forth between the homes of her grandparents and her uncle, and it was her uncle who first approached Sarah about his brave bright niece. As a young girl, Asta raised the money for her own school fees by collecting water a few kilometers away and selling it in the market during the dry season.
Astas personal experiences sparked her dream of become a lawyer in order to defend children's rights and work as a child protection officer. She has one more year of high school left.
RACHEL DEGE
Rachel Dege started living with relatives when her father, the sole provider in the family, passed away. Rachel could no longer afford basic necessities, let alone school tuition. Vulnerable to this new change, she became a pregnant teenager at the age of fourteen after a young man, promising to take care of her, took advantage of her vulnerability. Like most girls, Rachel had never received education about anything related to sexuality or the practice of safe sex. It's common for families to abandon their pregnant child at the boy's house, forcing the girl to enter marriage at a young age. Rachel was left at the boy's parent house, where her main activity was to perform labored work. After giving birth, she couldn't handle the heavy labor and returned to a relatives home. Rachel learned a valuable lesson about life and now wanted to continue her studies, finish high school and go to college, but lacked support.
Rachel didn't know about littlethings, she only heard that there was a Congolese woman working in the area who had came from the US. She found Sarah, told her story, and asked if she could give her a second chance. littlethings is giving a second chance to Rachel.
Rachel is currently first in her class and will be finishing high school in two years. She not only excels in her studies, but raises her son, and also runs a business in the market to provide for her family.
Rachel wants to be a nutritionist or a nurse after she finishes her education.
Rachel Mondonga
Rachel was the first participant of littlethings in Gemena and has an uncommon story for children in the Congo. Rachel, an only child, lives with both of her parent who cherish her. Her father, who works as a driver, managed to send Rachel to a local private school in the past, but he hasn't received his salary or been paid for over 10 months due to economic challenges in the area. It has become difficult for the family to find food and there are days Rachel goes without eating.
To ensure Rachel continued her education and to encourage a father's love for his daughter in a struggling family littlethings has been paying Rachels tuition.
Rachel is in the 3rd grade and she wants to be a doctor.
TINA PAMBA
Tina Pamba Prefinats family is part of an ethnic group whose customs do not always treat women and children favorably. Within this ethnic group, upon the death of the male head of a household his parents and siblings are entitled to all his belongings; they are not obligated to support the wife or children of the deceased. When Tinas father passed away, his family took everything, leaving Tina, her siblings, and her mother on the street. Like Sarah, Tina also lived in the same area of Kinshasa as the Thontwa family and helped to support her own family through the sale of salt, sugar, and other goods. Tinas intelligence and passion for education prompted littlethings to sponsor her. One of Tinas older siblings is also being sponsored by littlethings and will be attending college in the US this fall.
Tina is currently in primary school.
STEPHY DUALE
Stephy is a smart and expressive young woman, and is one of the few littlethings members that still has both parents. She has a loving family, but financial difficulties prevented her from attending school. After joining the program, Stephy has excelled in all her classes and currently resides in Kinshasa. Stephy is in primary school.
She wants to be a businesswoman and run her own company when she finishes her education.
GLOIRE KITADISA
Gloire was one of the first participants in the second round of littlethings programming. She is 17, extremely intelligent, speaks perfect French, and has a beautiful voice. Gloires father passed away when she was young, leaving the burden of supporting the family on her mother. With no money for school fees, Gloire and her sibling spent over two years without attending school, and Gloire is still the only child in the family getting an education.
Before littlethings sponsored her, Gloria washed the dishes and the clothes of students at the University in exchange for food and soap which she would use to do her own laundry. Gloria no longer works, focusing instead on her studies.
Gloire will graduate from high school next year and hopes to be a businesswoman after finishing her education
GLORIA KAYA
Gloria Kaya is the first girl that littlethings is supporting at the college level. When Sarah first encountered Gloria, she was living in a village outside of Gemena, had graduated high school but didnt have the means to attend college. Through littlethings, Gloria was able to travel to Kinshasa to pursue higher education for the small price of $400 tuition a year.
Gloria is now studying business economics and accounting. She is doing very well with all her classes and has just finished her second year. She hopes to be a businesswoman when she is finished at university.
DEBORAH KIBONGE
Deborah is the newest member of littlethings, joining the program in early June 2010. She is extremely expressive, independent and a leader.
Deborah is starting secondary school, and with the help of littlethings will be attending a special school for design. She wants to be a fashion designer when she finishes her education.
Littlethings is an entirely grassroots-funded non-profit started by Sarah Thontwa in 2007, founded on the notion that every person has a little thing to give , and that if we each do our part, we can make positive change in the world. Sarah's particular vision is for her home country, the Democratic Republic of Congo. She started her work in helping other young women in the DR Congo through making simple necklaces and earrings in her dorm room while she was still an undergraduate student in Chicago, IL. Sarah's jewelry project slowly grew to include other like-minded young women, and we started holding jewelry parties and inviting more people to share their little things through jewelry making.
That first year we had one Littlethings' sponsorship in place, a Congolese girl whose name is also Sarah. Now in 2009, we are sending ten girls to school, some through direct sponsorships and others through funds raised from jewelry sales. We are a staff entirely made of volunteers, each of us giving our little thing. We trust that our efforts in raising funds and awareness across the United States will offer a few young women in the DR Congo the opportunity to reach their dreams, and in turn give back to the world.
Our mission is to create a safe and supoprtive environment where young girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo are inspired to believe in themselves, are encouraged to reach their goals, and to live up to their fullest potential. Our social entrepreneurship initiative aims to help marginalized women find employment through their own work.
OUR GOALS ARE TO:
1. Implement innovative programs and services that promote self-esteem, goal-setting, healthy lifestyles, and personal accountability for young girls
2. Commit to raising awareness on issues of gender and poverty
3. Empower women's activities through microfinancing
4. Provide trainings and tools enabling them to start their own activities or business.
What's your little thing?
Won't you consider sharing your creativity through jewelry making, or buying a piece of jewelry? Some people find that they would like to radically affect through the future of a young woman with promise, through direct sponsorship. Others host jewelry parties, and connect their friends and acquaintances to the mission and vision of Littlethings by opening their homes. Whatever your little things, don't hesitate to share it with us, we look forward to connecting with you!
Click on the options below to see how you can get involved with Littlethings and help provide opportunities to women in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We look forward to partnering with you!
Your purchase of Littlethings jewelry supports our girls and helps us become one step closer to our goal of providing empowerment to women. At Littlethings, each item is crafted with hope, passion and determination. We personally make these products to support our mission and goals. Your purchase supports our girls and gets us one step closer to our goal.
Heritage Falls Market
42 Main Street
New London, MN 56273
Minx Parlor Boutique
750 N Franklin St. # 102
Chicago, IL 60654
Host a Party!
Jewelry parties provide Littlethings with all of its operating costs so that 100% of our sponsor's money goes directly towards girl's tuition in the DR Congo. We would love to come to your home, church, school, or open venue and have a party. We have a lot of fun with small groups, sisters' weekends, women's ministries, Scout troops, or a bunch of your girlfriends for a night in. We will provide all of the jewelry making supplies, as well as finished jewelry for additional purchases, provide snacks (ie: berries, cheese, crackers, beverages), and volunteers to lead the party. Jewelry parties are a great little way for us to spread the word about our organization, recruit volunteers, sponsors, and to get to know you personally.
Through your Littlethings direct sponsorship, you can send a Congolese girl to school for an entire academic year. Sponsorships are $200 a year, or $17.00 (USD) a month. We cover all of our operating costs through jewelry sales, which means that 100% of the money you give goes directly to the tuition, school supplies and uniform for your girl.
