By Masha Goncharova
Published: The Orange County Register on September 06, 2009
http://www.ocregister.com/news/ramsey-132802-kids-krochet.html
Editor's Note: My least favorite revenue stream so far is retailing hand made products. It is very difficult to do well in and its popularity (as a social enterprise) has already made a crowded category. There are better ways. And still, this is a delightful enterprise and article, partly just because of the age and spirit of these three social entrepreneurs. [more]
O.C. surfer helps African women find a U.S. market
by Masha Goncharova
IRVINE - Stewart Ramsey, a 24-year-old surfing guru, started a non-profit founded upon two ideas: love and crocheting.
Two years into the venture, Ramsey's dream of expanding his organization is finally coming to fruition.
Krochet Kids International was born in Ramsey's home town Spokane, Washington. With high school friends Kohl Crecelius and Travis Hartanov, Ramsey traveled to Africa to volunteer in an orphanage. After witnessing the awful conditions and impoverished people, the trio knew something had to be done.
Ramsey, Crecelius and Hartanov took an activity that they loved, crocheting, and turned in into a means of production for Ugandans.
"Exactly, it's like that one saying, give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime," said Ramsey, who lives in Corona del Mar.
The program works like a cycle: Ramsey and his crocheting friends teach ten Ugandan women how to crochet, the women make hats and other yarn accessories, then the goods are sent to the United States and sold in various stores — with a growing Orange County clientele. The proceeds go directly to the Ugandan women who made them.
"We were just stoked on that fact that we could create something with our own hands that was tangible and real, not digital or e-mailable," Ramsey explained. "But from a development standpoint crochet is an easily transferable skill and requires very little resources to produce something worth selling. Thus, it became a great opportunity for us to help others help themselves."
Brad Holdgrafer, the organization's director of visual rhetoric — meaning he's a designer — believes that Krochet Kids International breaks the mold of other non-profits not only by giving back directly to the Ugandan people, but also by creating a personal connection between the Ugandan producers and the American consumers.
"Everything is hand-made and every time a lady makes a hat, there's a label on it and you can see the name of the woman who made it," Holdgrafer said. "Then you can go online and there's pictures and bios of all the women so you actually know who made your hat."
Regular customers of Krochet Kids readily support the expansion of the company because of their own personal connection with the Ugandan women who make the products.
"One of my hats was made by a woman named Doreen, who has dreams of becoming a teacher," said customer Ben Simonson. "Knowing that in purchasing a hat the woman who crocheted it is not only able to provide for herself and her family but is also one step closer to accomplishing her dream makes my support of Krochet Kids mean something much deeper than the traditional relationship between the consumer and the product/company behind it."
Ramsey's current goal for the company is awareness. He hopes to expand out from just crocheting hats and accessories to jackets, shoes and sweaters.
As of now the organization distributes their goods in Washington and Central and Southern California. In South Orange County, shops like the Thalia Street Surf Shop in Laguna Beach and Active Ride stores have become key distributors. When they have enough funding, KKI plans to open their own store. The best part about the products, say Holdgrafer and Ramsey, is the "give-back" factor.
Saturday night, July 18 at the Irvine Spectrum, KKI is teaming up with Toms Shoes and the Active Ride store for a free, benefit concert to increase awareness about the company. Turning his dream of helping people rise above poverty into a reality, Ramsey expects that evening will increase popularity of Krochet Kids.
Products will be available all day at Active Ride and at 5 p.m., the Giant Wheel Court will be closed off for the concert and art show.
The motto of Krochet Kids is "to empower people to rise above poverty." Through tonight's concert, Ramsey hopes that Orange County locals can really begin to understand the message behind the organization; that it's not just some other surfer company trying to make bank, but it's people with a purpose.
"The more of we can sell, the more lives we can change," said Ramsey.
The concert will feature live music by Dustin Kensrue, The Daylights, Crash Kings, Pawnshop Kings, and Void 808. There will also be live murals, customized Toms shoes, and cut and sew KKI hats.
However, Ramsey ensures that the night will not focus on raising funds but raising understanding about the African poverty situation.
As a non-profit, KKI is driven by love, not money. Akot Beatrice, nicknamed the "team mom" of the Ugandan crocheting women, explains that love is about helping others.
"Love is anything good you do to a friend," Beatrice says on the KKI Web site. "A person cannot say she/he has love when he/she cannot sacrifice or give anything to anybody."
http://www.ocregister.com/news/ramsey-132802-kids-krochet.html