Building a soulful world by Knitting for Nutrition

Karen Lohn, an educator and psychologist, touched the community with her beautiful book Peace Fibres: Living Peace in Tumultuous Times. In the book, she challenged readers to “stitch a soulful world.” She has now undertaken a new project, asking people to perhaps knit a soulful world. Lohn hopes local knitters—experienced and novice—will help her knit 100 simple baby booties for children in Burkina Faso, Africa.

Lohn learned of the need for these booties from a friend named Hilary who is a Peace Corps worker. Why booties?

Peace Corps worker Hilary explains on her website www.knittingfornutrition.com. She said that some young children are truly starving in Africa, however many are suffering from malnutrition—a reversible situation. With proper education, the mothers of Burkina Faso can learn how a balanced diet can save their children in the critical time after they stop breastfeeding.

However, it is a challenge to get mothers to come to Hilary for that information. She writes: “In a village so poor that children do not own shoes, booties are highly coveted. Those given to babies at a ‘Knitting for Nutrition’ seminar are likely the only pair they will own in a lifetime. Because of this, moms will be excited to attend a training that takes care of their baby’s clothing needs by giving them booties— and through the seminar they will learn valuable information that will assist them in meeting their child’s nutritional needs as well. Information is power–and this type of information can save a baby’s life.”

Karen Lohn is excited about the possibility of saving children’s lives through the simple act of knitting and she invites the community to join her. The booties are to be shipped right after Christmas, so there is a rush to knit. Karen invites anyone interested to her house at 221 West First Street in Grand Marais on Tuesday mornings, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. or Wednesday evenings, 7 – 10 p.m. from now until Christmas to knit a pair of booties. She has the yarn and the pattern, which she said is simple enough for the novice knitter. Anyone who would like to knit at home may pick up a pattern as well. Contact Karen for more information at (218) 387-1684 or karenlohn@boreal.org.