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WORLD CLOTHES LINE DELIVERY TO AFRICA!

11 Countries. 100 Days. 7,500 Miles. 1 Mission. CLOTHE AFRICA!

World Clothes Line just returned from our greatest delivery yet! From August to November 2012, Mallory drove from Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa delivering new clothes to children in need. Through 11 countries, Mallory saw the incredible culture, diverse landscape, desperate poverty, and genuine people of the most majestic continent on earth!

Mallory visited five orphanages, two schools, and hundreds of villages to deliver new clothes throughout her journey. She traveled with a group of fellow adventurers who blazed their own path, slept in tents (on top of vehicles!), ate local food, and witnessed first hand the everyday lives of Africans. From the sands of the Sahara, to the Ethiopian mountains, the plains of the Serengeti, and the crashing waves of the South African coast, it was an epic delivery.

Our clothes were so greatly needed and connected people of different cultures, languages, and countries through their simple but meaningful message.
Please watch!

A huge THANK YOU ("Shokrun" in Arabic, "Ameseginalehu" in Amarhic, "Asante" in Swahili, and "Dankie" in Afrikaans) to the WCL team, our incredible partners, sponsors, and customers for believing in our cause. It is with your support that we are able to help so many in need.

Your purchases from the Africa Collection gave new clothes to people in need in Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somaliland, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa!

If you have yet to support us, please purchase an item from the Africa Collection and help us continue to give the gift of clothing. There are so many in need! www.WorldClothesLine.com/Shop/Africa

Ethiopia!!  It's GREEN GREEN GREEN.  From weeks of dry heat in the Sahara desert, the lush landscape is very welcome.  The northern region of Ethiopia is mountainous, and we climb 11,000 feet back and forth on switchback roads.  I'm awestruck at the scenery, marveling at the power of the earth.  The altitude and fresh air are reviving, and I even enjoy the daily mid-afternoon rain.   It's nice to finally be in pants and a sweatshirt!

Ethiopia is another world.  They speak Amharic, a very elongated language.  I immediately try to learn the word for "thank you."  It takes me three days to pronounce it correctly: "om-a-sa-ga-nalu."  Yikes.  That's a lot of syllables!  Ethiopia also runs on a different calendar.  It's currently the year 2005.  No joke.  There are 13 months in a year, and the new year starts in mid-September.  Even the daily time is different.  The sun rises at 1 AM and sets at noon...about 7 hours behind a western clock.

People are EVERYWHERE!  We drive through villages and kids run up to our car and bang on the windows.  Women walk on the side of the road carrying yellow jerry cans of water on their heads.  Men herd cattle and goats.  They take up the entire road, and we literally push the animals out of the way like bumper cars.   

The poverty is the worst we have seen.  I'm very emotional in this country; I cry at least once a day.  I've learned how much I really love children...and how attracted to me they are.  I always have a little guy holding my hand or hanging onto my leg.  If we stop the cars at any point, kids start running toward us from all directions.  You can hear little feet scurrying across the mountain range!  They are incredible: long skinny legs, white teeth, rags for clothes, flies on their faces.  The kids have these funny little hair cuts with shaved patches of hair in different designs. 

I've given away tons of clothes to children on the side of the road.  They actually run after the car yelling "t-shirt, t-shirt" which is reassuring to know they truly need what I can provide.  

We visit the churches of Lalibela.  They are 11 very famous churches, each carved from one slab of rock into the ground.  These enormous incredible churches are essentially hidden in giant holes.  Remarkable.  People flock from all over the world to see them.  Our visit was a huge moment for me, personally; two years ago, I saw a 60 Minutes special on the churches of Lalibela.  I vowed to see them at some point in my life.  26 months later, here I am!  Life truly is what you make it.

In the village of Lalibela, I meet a 13 year old boy named Yohannas.  He was born in the countryside into a very poor family.  School in rural Ethiopia ends after grade 4, so an ambitious 9-year-old Yohannas moved to the "city" to continue his education.  He rents a little mud hut, shining shoes in the street to pay his rent, and is currently enrolled in the local middle school.  Each morning, I wake up to Yohannas perched outside the car waiting for our daily adventure.  He teaches me local traditions, invites me to his hut for coffee (smooth little 13 year old), beats me at pool, and quizzes me on the capitals of Europe (he knows them all!).  Yohannas dreams of going to Italy although I learn he has never tasted pizza or pasta.  So, on our last night together, I take him and his two best friends to an Italian dinner to order every pasta on the menu.  They had never been to such a fancy restaurant!  After dinner, they went to the bathroom and returned with wet hair and clean faces.   They took showers in the bathroom!  Although we all laughed in the moment, my heart was aching.  Running water is a luxury to these boys.  Yohannas told me he'll never forget that meal.  Best $10 I ever spent.

Speaking of food...Ethiopian food is gross.  Every meal consists of bread called "injeera" which is a flat circular pancake that looks like a dirty dish rag.  It is cold, dark grey and has little holes all over.  Meals are served family style with one huge circle of injeera with a bunch of stews/sauces poured onto the middle.  We break off bread from the outside and dip it in the sauces, essentially eating away the plate from the outside in.  We've learned that the orange goop is the best sauce...and the green stuff is nasty.  Haha.

I suffer from a moment of temporary insanity and decide to feed raw meat to a wild hyena...from my mouth.  In Harar, a city famous for their hyena population, there are hundreds of hyenas that live within the city limits.  Wild, carnivorous animals walk around like they own the place.  Every night, there are hyena feedings.  A super buff man stabs raw meat with a twig, then places the twig in your mouth for a wild hyena to devour mere centimeters from your face.  Yep, frickin scary...and yes, hyenas laugh just like they do in The Lion King.

One of the charity partners on our trip is ActionAid, a worldwide nonprofit that provides local needs to impoverished communities.  We visited a clean water project in Northern Ethiopia where a new, purified water well was built 6 months ago.  Prior to this well, women walked 4 hours through hyena infested land to the nearest water source to fill containers with contaminated water.  Then, they turned around and carried gallons of water on their heads 4 hours home.  Daily.  As you can imagine, a well has changed their lives.  They have clean water.  Less disease.  More time.  Less injuries (can you imagine what that walk does to you?).  Women are now going to school, starting businesses, raising their families, and working to develop their village.  The women threw a celebration for our visit...dancing and singing in the fields.  Incredible!

And finally, Ethiopia brings our first orphanage clothing delivery!  We visit Hawassa Children's Center in Southern Ethiopia.  This is home to 120 orphans, most of whom have lost their parents due to AIDS.  After meeting the children and being so moved by their stories, the WCL team distributes a new tee to every child.  The shirts are red, yellow, and green - the colors of Ethiopia!  Some of the kids jump up and down in excitement, but a few are very sick and weak.  I can only imagine the trama they have survived.  Hawassa orphanage is an all inclusive living environment with dorms, kitchens, gardens, a clinic, counselors, and job training.  The kids walk to the nearest town for school...and WCL Africa bracelets help purchase their school uniforms. These kids are SO eager to learn.  Please purchase a bracelet and help an orphan receive an education!

A huge thanks to Spider 9!  Their purchase of custom tees for their employees provided new t-shirts for the Hawassa orphans.

Click here to support this delivery and purchase from the Africa Collection.

From where the grass really is greener,

~Mal

Finally aboard the long awaited ferry to Sudan.  The ferry is incredible...and by incredible, I mean it's the most crowded, disorganized, jumble of a mess I've ever been a part of.  Hundreds of suitcases, appliances, rugs, furniture, and boxes jammed onto a barge...and people shoved in whatever crevasses were left.  We have heard horror stories of how miserable the ferry is, but I love every minute!

The actual ferry ride is 17 hours down the Nile (exiting Egypt and entering Sudan) but we have to board 8 hours in advance to claim a semi-decent spot.  Everyone rushes onto the barge, pushing and shoving to get their families and belongings aboard.  A mosh pit.  As expected, we are the only foreigners on board.  We have second class tickets which place us in a giant room with dozens of other families.  After a few elbows to the face, the 7 of us secure two benches facing each other like booths in a restaurant.  We have a little square of the room to ourselves...our home for the next 25 hours.

One meal is served on the ferry, which reminds me of prison food.  Slop on a metal tray.  It actually tastes good, but the cafeteria is a mad house.  People passing trays above our heads, strangers grabbing food off our plates; chicken bones everywhere, tea spilling on everyone.  Most unsanitary eating environment ever.

The bathrooms, as you can imagine, are hideously disgusting.

At night, families sleep wherever they can find space.  Kids tuck into nooks.  Teenage boys make beds in the lifeboats. Others sleep atop of piles of luggage.  I stay up late chatting to my new group of friends, 30 guys hanging out on the ferry rooftop.  We play cards, take photos, and attempt to teach each other English and Arabic, although that's a complete failure.  They know no English, and I know no Arabic.  So we merely mimic the sounds of words without understanding their meaning.  Hilarious.

After a few hours of unrestful sleep on a metal bench, I climb up to the roof again to watch the sunrise.  I am surrounded by other passengers, all coated in a layer of dirt, grime, and day-old B.O.  Yum.   But, we are in Sudan, and the morning light exposes the vast desert ahead.   Everyone stares at the sun, so enormous and powerfully bright. 

Our adventure has only begun.  Our days are spent driving, driving, driving through the Sahara.  Rolling sand dunes, camels walking for miles, giant sunsets.  Sudan is a huge country in landmass, so the distance is a challenge in itself.  We pass little sun-kissed towns with mud huts and children riding on donkeys.  The men wear long white sheet robes (called galabeyas) and little white hats.  Women wear colorful flowing dresses.  It surpasses 100 degrees almost every day! 

Sudan is one of the least explored countries in Africa, and not many Americans have ever ventured past its borders (as you may have figured given the trouble we had receiving visas).  I like driving on the open road, so as you can imagine, I drive a lot.  There are numerous checkpoints along the highway with armed guards.  At first, I'm nervous at the checkpoints, unsure whether to hand over my passport or pay bribes.  But as with everything on this trip, I grow to embrace and enjoy uncomfortable situations. We try to make the guards laugh, play dumb, offer food, and in one situation, let the guard kiss me in exchange for easy passing :)

We camp in the wild, finding rare hideaways in the open desert.  We BBQ chicken or cook pasta and sleep in the rooftop tents.  The sun wakes us up in the morning.  When I start sweating, I know it's time to get up.  Although there's always a mixture of bug spray, suntan lotion, and sweat on my skin, I'm not nearly as gross as I thought I'd be. Baby wipes are the greatest invention ever.

Sudan has pyramids just like Egypt but instead of 3 large pyramids, they have 200 small ones.  We drive to the Sudanese pyramids and camp under the stars.  The night sky in the Sahara is unbelievable.  I've never seen the milky way so bright. The stars are magnificent, and I pull my first all-nighter since college, counting shooting stars and dreaming up my own constellations.  I literally watch the universe revolve in a semi-circle above my head.  Totally worth a night of no sleep.

Back on planet earth, there is a lot of political unrest.  The U.S. Embassies in Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Lebanon, and almost all Islamic countries have been raided in the past week.  We hear news of the death of U.S. Ambassador to Libya and as we are approaching Khartoum, the capital city, I'm very nervous.  Remember that Americans are banned in Sudan, and our hopes to driving through under the radar have vanished.  As if on cue, protestors start marching toward the U.S. Embassy just as we arrive to Khartoum.  Ugh!  What timing!  We decide that if anyone asks our nationality, we are proud Australians. 

Five minutes in the city, and we're questioned:

Random Sudanese man:  You?  Where you from?

Me: Australia

RSM:  oooo Australia!  Where in Australia?

Me:  Sydney (I've never been to Australia and this is the first city that comes to mind)

RSM: My daughter lives in Sydney!  Where in the city??

...are you kidding me?

Me:  Um.  By the Opera House?  Hahaha.  I change the subject very quickly. 

Our "Aussie-wannabe" plan is a bust as we often have to show our passports.  Plus, we greatly underestimate the geographical knowledge of the Sudanese.  Our cars' Virginia license plates are often recognized.  Thankfully, we have underestimated the kindness of the Sudanese as well.  Anyone who discovers our true nationality only shows concern for our safety.  Checkpoint guards safely guide us out of the city.

WCL celebrates two years of business in Sudan.  To mark the occasion, I race a camel with our car.  The camel wins.  Haha.  Those things can move!  On a serious note, I give away new t-shirts to children that we meet along our drive.  One boy had recently fled from South Sudan with his father and is living on the streets (pictured below).  It's wonderful to see the smile this t-shirt brings to his face.

By the time we drive through Sudan, I've been in Arab countries for almost 6 weeks.  My Arabic is actually pretty impressive.  I know all the numbers, how to introduce myself, ask for food, and say thank you.  My favorite expression is "tamam" which means "everything is good."  I like to say "cool tamam" which means "everything is coolio" :)

On our last day, we meet a man who, in true Sudanese fashion, invites us to his house for tea.  Our troop of 7 people stumbles into his home and meets his wife, children, brother, and neighbor.  (Photo on right).  With no advanced notice or preparation, his wife prepares dinner and dessert.  They offer us showers, which we gladly accept.  They give us souvenirs of Sudanese flags and stickers, refrigerate our water bottles, fill our jerry can with water AND wash our cars.  We thank them, wave goodbye, and drive off.  Such generosity, and they want nothing in return.  Human kindness is overflowing...

All my Sudanese love,

Mal

Click here to support the Africa Delivery!

Any international traveler knows that if there is one administrative necessity, it's VISAS.  Traveling through 11 countries means an endless number of visa applications.  All but one went smoothly.  That one...Sudan.

Here's the ever complicated visa story:

We originally applied for visas to Sudan in Washington D.C. and were told to apply in Egypt.  In Cairo, we were told to apply in the border city of Aswan.  However, in Aswan, the door is shut in our face.  Due to recent political issues, the only way Americans can obtain visas is to have special permission from Sudan's government.  Basically, someone in Sudan has to present a case to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that five Americans would like to drive two shoe cars through their country.  If this is deemed acceptable, paperwork will be drawn up and faxed from Sudan's capital of Khartoum to the Sudanese Consulate in Egypt.  Chance of completion = roughly 3%

Since we don't know anyone in Sudan, it's a bit of a challenge to find/trust someone with the incredible task of obtaining these impossible visas.  We find three contacts willing to help - a Mexican Ambassador, a Greek hotel owner, and a street pizza cart owner's Sudanese friend.  Yes, it's as random as it sounds.

Remember this is all being carried out in third world countries.  Sudan has enough trouble following its own laws, let alone making exceptions to its laws.  Egypt is a country where the power goes out once a day, where a broken wheel on a donkey cart can delay a shipment for days, and normal business hours do not exist.

Through 3 weeks of effort, I've learn about the incredibly poor infrastructure of African countries.  The inefficiency is baffling.  Prime example: We are waiting for a fax to arrive in Egypt.  One man is in charge of receiving faxes.  Another man is in charge of walking the fax upstairs.  Another is in charge of writing the visas...stamping the visas....accepting payment for the visas...and so on.  If any one guy is not at work, or decides to skip his task for the day, the whole process is halted and must be started over tomorrow.

Every week has been a build up to find out if the fax will arrive by Sunday allowing us to board the Monday ferry to Sudan.  Egyptians have this phrase "Inshallah" which means "God willing".  They tack it onto the end of sentences.  You will get the visas, Inshallah...My health will improve, Inshallah...It won't be too hot tomorrow, Inshallah.  This is all well and good except that Egyptians manipulate the meaning to imply that everything is in God's hands.  Workers at the consulate use it as an excuse to seemingly ignore us.  We ask, "Excuse me sir, can you call and ask if the fax has been sent?"  Response: Inshallah.  "Can you check that they have the correct fax number?"  Response: Inshallah.  "Does your fax machine have enough paper?"  Response: Inshallah.  It's infuriating.  We've begged, offered bribes, and cried crocodile tears.  And still, three weeks of nothing.  

Until finally, we receive a miracle of news!  Somehow, inshallah pulls through, and our visas are ready!  So, was it the Mexican Ambassador, the Greek hotel owner, or the pizza man's friend who was successful?  Drumroll.............the pizza dude!  Hahaha.  Ridiculous.

But alas...after 31 days in Egypt, I'm finally on my way to Sudan!!  Woot woot!

Peace, love, and Inshallah,

~Mal

In my first 12 hours in Africa, I rode a camel and visited the Great Pyramids of Giza.  So, it's gonna be a good trip :)

I land in Cairo to find an intense maze of tan cement buildings, noise, and people.  Everything is written in Arabic.   The streets are crowded and endless car horns blare into the night.  Camels, donkeys, and sheep roam the streets and burning trash?  Well, I've gotten used to it.

After Cairo, we head south along the Nile.  Driving is nerve-racking as the road is a free-for-all.  Apparently, Egyptians don't believe in traffic lanes!  There are speed bumps every quarter mile which keeps traffic slow.  Good for safety.  Bad for the distance we have to cover.   The Nile provides amazing irrigation, so either side of the river is lush and green. Here, palm trees have hanging dates instead of coconuts.  A few miles out east or west turns into sandy desert, so the green path of the river bed is our guide.  I feel like Dorothy following her yellow brick road :)

The Nile leads us to the city of Aswan, in southern Egypt, on the border of Sudan.  The only way to enter Sudan is to take a day long ferry that runs once a week.  Here's the problem.  We can't enter Sudan without a visa, and Sudan stopped issuing them to Americans a few weeks ago.  Why?  Politics.  The US kicked out all the Sudanese diplomats from our own country, so in retaliation, Sudan closed its borders to Americans.  *Read Operation: Visa to find out who wins the visa battle

Country #1 and I've already hit a roadblock.  But, if you're going to be stuck somewhere, better to be where there are hundreds of temples, tombs, and interesting history.  We explore huge ruins, columns, hieroglyphics, and statues of ancient kings.  This is the majestic country of hidden golden treasures that I always imagined.  I see the Valley of the Kings and the numerous temples of Ramses II (who had 92 wives. Crazy!)

Between our adventures into Egypt's majestic past, we build a little life in Aswan.  We have a favorite juice shop and market stalls.  I'm on a first name basis with the town baker.  We're constantly invited to eat with local families, celebrating Ramadan and eventually Eid (the ending of Ramadan).  We fish in the Nile, cover our arms in henna tattoos, and even dance at a local wedding!  My Arabic is coming along nicely, and every day, I feel more and more comfortable.  My bargaining skills have improved.  I'm no longer taken a fool when hailing taxis, buying groceries, or even just buying bottled water!  I can immediately sense when my light skin tags me as a foreigner.  I argue, "I'm not a tourist.  I LIVE in Aswan!"  It takes a few seconds of inquisitive glaring before I receive the local price.  But I always do :)

Egypt is one of the most volatile countries on our delivery (due to the 2011 Revolution), but I've witnessed no hostility.  Nothing but kind people and smiling kids.  This is the first Islamic country I've ever visited.  Most women are entirely covered, and I am conscious to dress conservatively.  I didn't plan to spend so long in Egypt, but the time has enabled me to really dive deep into the culture.

We rented a house on a small island in the middle of the Nile called Elephantine Island.   The island is only pedestrian, and everyone knows everyone in the village.  In fact, most are cousins...literally.  Elephantine is home to the Nubians, an ethnic group whose ancestors ruled a great kingdom in the Sahara.  The Nubians were displaced from their ancestors' land and have recently settled with their families on Elephantine Island.

My Nubian friend, Mustafa, visits daily.  We met swimming in the Nile when his perfect English caught me by surprise.  Mustafa is very worldly and openly shares his opinions about being Egyptian, being Muslim, growing up in a poor family (his father had 2 wives and supported both families), and working as a child.  He is 26 years old (same as me!) so we often compare life experiences. Mustafa grew up on Elephantine Island and started working when he was 8 years old.  He and his best friend Amir were boat singers.  They would paddle a little canoe up to ferry boats filled with tourists, grab on the edge of the ferry boat, and sing for tips.  These singing children have hung off our ferry many times in Egypt, so its interesting to understand his perspective on this strange form of child labor.  When Mustafa was 16, he moved out of his family home and was no longer supported financially.  So, he invested in a boat. He worked and lived in his metal 30 ft ferry boat...sleeping on cushions on the floor.  He learned how to sail, cook, guide private tours, and cater to all sorts of tourists.  When he was 22, he moved to Austria where he still lives and works (hence the perfect English).  He learned German, his 4th language, and stays in Austria because there is more opportunity to prosper in Europe.  Mustafa returns to Egypt twice a year to see his family and maintain his beloved his boat. He's a generous man, and I've truly enjoyed his honesty.  KINDA makes me feel like a spoiled brat with my privileged American childhood...but most travel does :)

With Mustafa's insight into Nubian culture, I realize Elephantine Island is the perfect location for a WCL delivery!  I set off with a duffle of clothes to give to children in need on the island.  I know exactly where to find them.  Every afternoon, kids play in the open fields.  You can hear the giggling for miles.  I have continuously run into the cutest little brother (Abdullah) and sister (Habiba), so they recognize me when I started delivering clothes.  Habiba is so excited about her new t-shirt that she grabs my hand and runs across the island, leading me to their home.

Abdullah and Habiba's mother is very grateful for the clothes and invites me inside, insisting I drink some lemon tea.  Please note: You can't drink the water in impoverished areas.  EVER.  It'll make you very sick - shivers, fever, vomiting, a whole range of unpleasantness.  I had been served hot tea at numerous Egyptian houses.  Boiling the water seems to be fine, and I have had no problems.  But this concoction is more lemonade than boiled tea.  Just a bucket of murky river water with squeezed lemon juice.  I try to decline, but the woman is so offended.  Abdullah and Habiba beg me to drink.  So...what can I do?  I suck it up and drink it.

Immediately after, I sprint back to our house and take malaria pills.  I don't need them until sub-Saharan Africa (no malaria in Egypt) but apparently, the meds are potent enough to kill any bacteria in your system.  Perfect!  I down two pills and pray not to get sick.  

Welp, I end up vomiting three times, but it's simply a reaction to the malaria pills and NOT from the dirty lemon drink.  Thank goodness.

Besides that, the delivery was great.  Haha.

Love from lemonade land,

-Mal

Click here to support WCL's Delivery to Africa

This is it!  I'm off on WCL's Delivery to Africa!  I'm sitting at the gate in Detroit Metropolitan Airport waiting to board my flight!   Alas, I'm off to the land of Pyramids.  I land in Cairo tomorrow evening :)

Get ready for the Ultimate Road Trip - driving 7,500 Miles across Africa!  I'll be visiting orphanages, schools, and villages in need to give new clothes to children in 11 Countries throughout Africa.

Egypt.  Sudan.  Ethiopia.  Somaliland.  Kenya.  Tanzania.  Malawi.  Zambia.  Namibia.  Botswana.  South Africa.

I'm traveling with a group of adventurers focused on philanthropy.  Our "charity drive" will support multiple causes: building an orphanage, clean water, and of course...delivering clothing!  In total, we are a group of seven (five Americans, one English, and one South African) caravanning in three vehicles.  There's strength in numbers!

Africa has always been a dream of mine.  I've heard the poverty overwhelms and the beauty overtakes you.  This will be my first trip to Africa, and I get to see it from the tip to the toe!  I'm a bundle of nerves, excitement, and adrenaline. 

Expect updates of elephants and orphanages!!  If you haven't purchased from the Africa Collection, get off your boney butt and do so!  www.WorldClothesLine.com/Shop/Africa

Send me your energy and luck throughout this delivery.  I'll do my best to spread a little love across the world!

Till next time (in Egypt)....EGYPT!!!  Ahhh so excited!

-Mal

P.S.  I have a layover in Paris.  Yay!  It's only two hours, so no venturing into the city but that's plenty of time to eat a baguette...or two :)

The Farbman Group, a Detroit-based real estate company, celebrated their 35th Anniversary by partnering with World Clothes Line!

This Summer, Farbman Group purchased 150 custom designed "Anniversary Tees" for their employees, which were matched with 150 new t-shirts for people in need in Detroit and Chicago.  Recipients were the Young Detroit Builders, Elevate Detroit CommuniD BBQ, and Marquard Center Chicago Homeless Shelter.

Mallory giving new t-shirts to the graduates of the Young Detroit Builders on July 20th, 2012.

Mallory distributing new t-shirts at the Elevate Detroit CommuniD BBQ on July 21, 2012.

So proud to announce our latest and greatest sponsor:

Yep, Meijer!  The ever-famous, family-owned, Michigan-based superstore!

Meijer is committed to strong core values, community outreach, and philanthropy.  In March 2012, I had the honor of meeting Hank Meijer - a huge supporter of World Clothes Line.  Through a generous contribution to our next delivery, Meijer will allow us to travel throughout Africa providing new clothes to an entire continent.

So, next time you need some groceries, or party supplies, or gift cards, or luggage, or electronics, or just about anything...shop at Meijer! Support those business that support us!

Higher standards.  Lower Prices.

Detroit...Peru...Indonesia...what's next?  AFRICA!

In April 2012, WCL successfully clothed the island of Gili Meno in Indonesia!

We're so proud to share the delivery video with you.  This captures the spirit of Indonesia and the unforgettable moments that define our cause. Please watch and enjoy!

The song featured in the video was composed and recorded on the delivery island by WCL's liaison, Yude Andiko.  Entitled "Just Try," the song switches between English and a local Indonesian language.  Yude sings of the compassion of our mission and the feeling of universal beauty during the WCL delivery.  We love this song...and hope you do too!