Lethbridge’s Harambee Grandmas take leftover fabric and yarn from local basements and sewing rooms and use it to make a difference on the other side of the world.

In Swahili, Harambee means “working together to make a difference” and the Lethbridge chapter of the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign is doing just that. The foundation was created in 2003 and was introduced to Canada in 2006 as grandmothers across sub-Saharan Africa stepped up to care for the millions of children orphaned by the HIV and AIDS crisis.

These grandmothers' groups raise funds in their local communities to support the work of these programs run by grandmothers in Africa and the community-led organizations that support them.

So where does Lethbridge’s leftover fabric come into the picture? The Harambee Grandmas’s annual yarn and fabric sale raises money and awareness, all while keeping unused textiles in circulation and out of the landfill.

Harambee Grandma Mardi Renyk explains, “The sales - to date we have done seven and will stage our eighth this coming October - provide a venue for all that donated fabric to be put to good use as opposed to ending up in a landfill. The results have been so rewarding - not only for our cause - but also in seeing how dedicated the citizens of Lethbridge are to repurposing!”

The annual sales give community members a place to donate fabric and yarn and provide a venue for these unused textiles to be purchased and repurposed for personal projects. After the sale has ended, local non-profit groups are invited to take anything they can use for community-based endeavours. These groups range from school teachers for fabric arts to organizations that make baby blankets, quilts, reusable sanitary products, and more for those in need.

Textile waste is a significant problem in Canada, with Lethbridge residents throwing away an average of 1000 tonnes of textiles every year. Efforts like these divert materials that could otherwise end up in landfills, and promote community-building through sustainability.