United States
The Utah & UK Knitting Project to Benefit Ukrainian Refugee Children
from Baroness Emma Nicholson, London, UK, Founder & President of AMAR ICF
Introduction: Ukrainian refugee families left their homes because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine not knowing where they were going or when they might return home. As a result, many are left with inadequate clothing for the local harsh winter conditions. The refugee children suffer badly from the cold but have limited funds or access to buy cold weather clothing. The Knitting Project Program will encourage knitters in Utah and UK to make warm, doubled-yarn hats and scarves for these children. Initially these will be provided to Ukrainian child refugees in Romania, and if sufficiently supported, for Ukrainian child refugees in Moldova too.
Aim: Encourage knitters to enjoy their craft whilst contributing to the well-being and comfort of Ukrainian refugee children suffering through harsh winter conditions in Romania and Moldova. This will build links and good relations between the Utah, UK, and Romania volunteers and a large child population that may otherwise feel forgotten and abandoned. The secondary objective of the program is to improve the health and living conditions of Ukrainian refugee children in Moldova too.
Method: A lead Women’s Group will be established in Utah to run the project, with early twinning in London. Volunteers will be asked to support less fortunate children by knitting warm hats and scarves for Ukrainian refugee children in Romania, and subsequently in Moldova. Each knitter will be encouraged to include a short note of encouragement, signed by the knitter’s first name. The child recipient will be urged to respond. AMAR ICF volunteers in Romania will gather the replies, ensure only the child’s first name is given, and send replies to the relevant knitter through the Women’s group. “This is a real gift from a real person to a real child.”
The Project has three purposes: To give warmth to the children; to enable the volunteers’ love for the refugee children across the ocean to be expressed by a hand-created gift; and to build a strong and dedicated group of volunteers in Utah and UK.
AMAR ICF has extensive experience of providing and distributing aid to Romania and Moldova, and an established cadre of sympathetic officials and volunteers to support this volunteer effort at minimal cost and maximum impact.
This project offers volunteers the opportunity to participate in “old-fashioned charity,” i.e. giving of one’s talents and time, which is more valuable than donated money. It enables participants to experience the joy and blessings that come from genuine giving.
- Hats and scarves knitted with doubled yarn should fit children from ages 3 to 16.
- Some funds for materials may exist but volunteers are asked to contribute what they can.
- The deadline for completion of these items is Nov. 15th.
On AMAR’s Facebook page (usfriendsofamar) knitters can register for this project if they wish (not required to participate), ask additional questions, and communicate their progress as they create items to donate. This information can also be viewed on AMAR’s website, usfriendsofamar.org
Project contact person: Louise Brown, 801-682-0691, louisebrown.amar@gmail.com
About Baroness Emma Nicholson: She founded AMAR ICF nearly 30 years ago to provide medical and educational help for Iraqi refugee camp residents; AMAR’s reach and mission has expanded to multiple countries. AMAR’s patron is King Charles. Baroness Nicholson is a lifetime member of Parliament’s House of Lords. Her life’s mission is to rescue, protect and sustain vulnerable people—especially children and mothers.
