As featured in the The Guardian Express
The Rotary clubs of Perth and Swan Districts have combined to distribute 500 sleeping bags to the homeless before winter next year.
The sleeping bags will be manufactured at a Cambodian sewing centre, which Swan Districts supported when they launched its Stitches of Hope sleeping bag project last year, and shipped to Perth.
Perth has bought material for the sleeping bags.
“The project is creating employment opportunities for Cambodians and will help keep our homeless population much warmer during the cold winter months,” Swan Districts president Kay Eva said.
“Some of our team members have been to Cambodia and observed where and how the sleeping bags are now being manufactured in a Phnom Penh workshop.
“It’s very rewarding to see a project like this benefitting people in two countries who desperately need help in different ways.”
Perth president Stephen Inouye said the sleeping bags – valued at $50 each – would be used to raise about $25,000 before March next year.
“The plan is to ‘sell’ the sleeping bags as Christmas presents,” he said.
“People can buy one by donating $50 to Rotary and the club will present the sleeping bag to a homeless person before next winter.
“We are also designing special cards to place in the sleeping bags, some with a message from the donor to the recipient.”