Response to Pan-African Sisterhood Health Initiative pad-making project is ‘overwhelming’ — in a good way

A few days after The Inquirer published a story about the Pan-African Sisterhood Health Initiative (P.A.S.H.I.), which sews menstrual hygiene pads for girls and women in Africa, a reader showed up to donate a sewing machine to the group.

The P.A.S.H.I. Facebook page documented the visitor’s gift:

“We would like to express our gratitude to Ginny Williams for her generous donation of a sewing machine. We also appreciate the opportunity to provide her with a tour and showcase our pads and bags,” the Jan. 9 Facebook post read.

There were photos of Williams and the machine, both inside and outside a box labeled “Baby Lock Anna,” a sewing machine model.

The women of P.A.S.H.I., most of them retired from impressive careers, meet every Wednesday at the Ujima Friends Peace Center in North Philadelphia, which provides the group with the workspace.

P.A.S.H.I. cofounder Maisha Sullivan-Ongoza said that as she arrived one recent morning, another volunteer had already opened the door for Williams.

“I was coming in and saw one of our volunteers was walking her into the building with the sewing machine,” Sullivan-Ongoza said. “She had gotten here before me.”

Sullivan-Ongoza said the response to The Inquirer story was “overwhelming — but overwhelming with happiness.”

» READ MORE: Dozens of Black women in Philly gather weekly to sew reusable period pads for girls in Africa and beyond

As of Thursday, new contributors had donated $1,600 to support P.A.S.H.I.’s mission of sewing and sending reusable, washable period pads to African countries and beyond. As of last week, P.A.S.H.I. had distributed 56 shipments of its pads to 23 countries, including Cuba and Haiti.

Nearly 60 people have asked to join the P.A.S.H.I. Facebook group since the article was published, and many have inquired about how to volunteer or whether there are P.A.S.H.I. groups in other cities. (There are none yet, but a post on P.A.S.H.I.’s new website said the organization will support those who want to start P.A.S.H.I. groups in the United States or abroad.)

In addition to the sewing machine, at least two supporters donated new fabric, and one woman shipped a box of fabric from her home in Virginia, P.A.S.H.I. member Milele Sullivan said.

On Jan. 15, two new volunteers showed up on a freezing day, when the temperature was only 25 degrees. The center was packed with at least 20 or so regular volunteers as well.

One new participant, Judy Watman of Narberth, brought her own sewing machine to use — a 1943 Singer she was given as a teenager.

“My mother was a tailor, and she taught me how to sew. I took it to college with me. I sewed in college. I sewed all my life,” said Watman, who added that she was moved to volunteer after seeing the Inquirer article.

A “basically retired” medical social worker, Watman said she still works part-time a couple of days a week: as a water-exercise instructor at a local YMCA and doing office work for a company.

“I love to sew,” she said. “I just like sewing for other people for a good cause.”

She has also volunteered to sew for two other organizations: Pockets of Hope, which supports women with breast cancer, and Teachers’ Teammates, where she sews tote bags for donated school supplies for teachers.

The other new volunteer, Ouida Davis of Mount Airy, works as a doula and has a wellness company that sells herbal teas. Davis said she already knew Milele Sullivan and had been planning to volunteer before the article appeared.

“At this stage of my life, I choose to spend my time and energy with people who are positive and provide a safe space,” said Davis, 49.

P.A.S.H.I. used to share information about its work mostly on the group’s Facebook page. Since the enhanced publicity surrounding it, the organization launched its website, pashiglobal.org, last week.

The site includes a mission statement:

“P.A.S.H.I.’s mission is to make and donate reusable menstrual pads and carry pouches that are manufactured in our eco-friendly workshop, under the guidance of elders as a resource. We donate our reusable menstrual pads and carry pouches for free to adolescent girls and women in need Nationally and Internationally.”