The Ames community has a chance to give back and help little girls in Africa using only a pillowcase.

 From 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. on Nov. 15 and 1 – 4 p.m. on Nov. 16, the Ames and ISU community can gather at the Memorial Union Workspace to volunteer for the Little Dresses for Africa event. 

Volunteers will help create dresses out of pillowcases to send not only to Africa, but also countries all around the world. These dresses will be a part of Little Dresses for Africa (LDFA).

Letitia Kenemer, fine arts coordinator for the Workspace, is looking for volunteers 16 and older to help come and sew dresses from pillowcases. Kenemer said the dresses are made with a simple pattern, so anyone can help create them.

The organization began in Ames by an outside group.

“A few years ago someone contacted me about using our space for their group to work on dresses,” Kenemer said. “I liked the community aspect and thought it was a way for us to give back, so I kept scheduling it every semester.”

This organization began because of the widespread AIDS pandemic in Africa. Young girls are frequently left to take care of their younger siblings, according to the Little Dresses for Africa website. The goal of the dresses is to begin providing hope again to the girls, both as the caregiver and younger siblings.

Little Dresses for Africa is a non-profit Christian organization. LDFA started in 2008. Since then, the dresses have reached 47 countries in Africa, along with 31 other countries. All together, LDFA has received 3 million dresses.

Kenemer is unsure of where the next batch of dresses will go.

“Sometimes we go through headquarters so they get to girls living in orphanages. Other times we partner with churches making service trips,” Kenemer said. “The last time [we sent them] was to Bolivia; they really just go anywhere in need.”

By going through church organizations, they have the chance to host Bible classes, camps for the young children and informational teaching classes, allowing the young children in underprivileged countries to learn more about health and sanitation.

This allows young girls a chance to get more education on life around them. A representative of LDFA said she wants to give young girls hope. By giving them hope, it shows that someone has noticed them, even if they are across the ocean.

The hope from the dresses is that “a seed will be planted in their hearts,” according to the website.