A group of Taieri women are busy sewing dresses for disadvantaged Kenyan girls.
Gwyneth Meehan, from Mosgiel handcrafts store De Winkel, began sewing dresses for overseas early this year after hearing about the global movement Dress a Girl Around the World.
The movement is made up of volunteers who sew dresses for disadvantaged girls who otherwise would not be able to afford one.
Having a dress also helped protect girls from sexual assault, as predators were less likely to target people who looked well-cared for, she said.
After starting on her own, she put a notice up in the shop inviting others to join her. There are now about 20 women sewing dresses.
The sewers were hoping to make between 50 and 60 dresses for Kenyan girls. Local woman Amelia Rogers will take the clothing with her on a trip to the country next month.
Mrs Meehan said it felt good knowing just how much the girls would appreciate having their first dress and helping protect them from harm.
‘‘If out of all the 60 dresses we prevent one child from being harmed, I think we have done something marvellous.''
The group would continue to make dresses after the first lot were taken to Kenya and she was keen for more people to get involved.
There were no deadlines. People could take as long as they liked to sew the dresses.
