Rachel Eggum Cinader, the visionary founder and president of Hope 4 Women International (H4WI), has been making waves in the world of charity with her incredible initiative, “Dress a Girl Around the World.” Since its inception in 2009, this program has made a significant impact by distributing nearly 4 million dresses to girls in need across the globe. The journey began when Cinader traveled to Uganda and witnessed firsthand the dire need for clothing among young girls who were often seen in tattered garments.
The idea sparked from a simple act of kindness: Cinader and her sister Joan took pillowcases to Uganda, teaching local women how to create dresses from them using treadle sewing machines. What started as a small project quickly gained momentum, as more and more people expressed interest in contributing to the cause. However, they soon realized that pillowcases weren’t the best option, leading to a shift towards using new cotton or cotton-blend fabrics, ensuring the dresses were comfortable and durable.
As the program evolved, so did its reach. The dresses are crafted by volunteers from various churches and organizations around the world, and they are sent on mission trips, where they are personally distributed to the girls. Cinader emphasizes the importance of this personal touch, stating, “We send dresses with people going on mission trips so the dresses are hand-carried and given out by those who carry them. This gives the teams an opportunity to share Jesus and His love.”
One inspiring story comes from the Oro Valley Church of the Nazarene in Arizona. Since partnering with the Dress a Girl program in 2012, the church has sewn an astounding 28,000 dresses. David Hillis, the church’s pastor overseeing missions and evangelism, shared how the initiative empowers church members to use their gifts for service. “We are a church that believes and encourages all those who make OVCN their church home to find a way to serve on mission either locally or globally every year,” he said. Their annual “Sew-a-Thon” event attracts hundreds of volunteers, who come together to create over 1,500 dresses in just one day.
The Leduc Alliance Church in Alberta, Canada, is another shining example of community involvement. Kathy Drader, who leads the Dress a Girl group there, shared how their church became involved after discovering the program through a couple who visited a church in Hawaii. Weekly meetings from October to June see volunteers crafting dresses and flat dolls, which are then sent to various countries, including Malawi, Uganda, and Guatemala. Drader emphasizes that each dress is a message of love, stating, “They are being told that Jesus loves them and people who love Jesus made the dresses for them.”
In addition to providing clothing, the Dress a Girl initiative also addresses critical issues like human trafficking. The organization uses the distribution events as opportunities to educate communities about the dangers of trafficking, equipping them with knowledge to protect vulnerable girls.
The impact of this charity extends beyond the dresses themselves. Many women involved in the sewing process have found renewed purpose and joy through their contributions. Cinader noted that sewers often pray over the dresses, infusing each piece with love and hope for the girls who will wear them.
As the program continues to grow, it serves as a powerful reminder of how faith, compassion, and creativity can come together to make a difference in the lives of those in need. The Dress a Girl Around the World initiative exemplifies the spirit of Christian charity, showing that even simple acts of kindness can lead to profound change. To learn more about this inspiring program and how you can get involved, visit the official Dress a Girl Around the World website.