I recently came across a quote from Mahatma Ghandi that resonated with me and, truthfully, just won’t seem to let me be.

“You must be the change that you wish to see in the world.”

I’ve been to South Africa and I’ve see a LOT of things that I don’t like. I’ve seen women outcast from their families because of their HIV-status. I’ve seen children orphaned by AIDS wandering the street. I’ve seen families broken down because of the AIDS pandemic.

I want to change the world (in South Africa).

I want to give a woman in South Africa a job creating beadwork. I want to give her the ability to care for herself, her family and maybe even one or two of the orphans who are wandering her street.

Call me idealistic, but I think I can do it. Here’s my plan; I’m going to sell some hand-made beadwork created by women in South Africa. I’m going to change the world, one woman, one artist, one South African at a time.

Care to change the world with me?

They say that unless you’re some big superstar like Bono or Oprah that you can’t make a difference in the world. Well, Hannah Kast is here to show us how wrong “they” are and how one little girl can make one big difference.

Headed to Mamelodi, South Africa this summer with her family, Hannah (who happens to be only 10 years old) decided that for her birthday she didn’t want any presents. Instead she asked for donations to Beaded Hope.

Hannah’s friends and family responded generously with $205 in donations! Don’t be fooled into thinking that this isn’t much money; it’s equal to 41 days of food for a person in South Africa.

How cool is it when a 10 year old decides that she wants to change the world?! Doesn’t it make you wonder where she’ll be 10 or 20 years from now?

So, you see, one person CAN make a difference. Thanks, Hannah, for showing us how it’s done!

For the second time in just a week Beaded Hope and Red Tree Gallery appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer. Here’s what they had to say on August 6th:

Headbands Help
Cincinnati Enquirer
August 6, 2007

Helping someone else by buying something for yourself is a no-brainer. Those looking to tame wild or drooping summer locks should check out the Beaded Hope headbands, handmade by women in South Africa impacted by HIV/AIDS, at Oakley’s Red Tree Gallery. Red Tree is a new art gallery and coffee shop designed to support artists with an emphasis on the local arts community, selling T-shirts to purses to handmade cards. Headbands range $20-$25. Red Tree Gallery, 4409 Brazee Street in Oakley. 513-321-8733. (Beaded Hope accessories also are at Second Chance Upscale Resale in Springdale and at www.beadedhope.com).

Check out the online article here.