Knitting for Afghanistan
Base Woodbourne’s Dental Assistant, Wendy Steele, has found a new calling in life—knitting clothing for children in Afghanistan.
Wendy Steele
It all began when Air Commodore Greg Elliott found her knitting baby booties while she was waiting for him to arrive for a recent dental appointment. He asked if they were for Afghanistan, which got her thinking globally rather than locally.
Wendy made contact with Captain Suzanne Koia—a Nursing Officer on deployment in Afghanistan—who enthusiastically advised that the goodies would be distributed directly to the children by New Zealand Defence Force personnel.
On arrival, the warm, New Zealand woollen garments were so appreciated, that more were requested. Wendy quickly rallied the support of her friends and the Picton Women’s Institute to help with supplying wool, knitting, or sewing.
To date, Wendy and her team have sent to Afghanistan:
- 170 pairs of slippers
- 103 toddler hats
- 45 pairs of booties
- 20 baby cardigans, plus
- sheets, wraps, nappies and mittens; with more on the go.
Wendy, who is “always knitting”, has a basket of bootees for local needs—any Air Force babies!
Afghanistan has one of the highest infant mortality rate in the world. The infant mortality rates in the Bamyan Province are the worst in Afghanistan—one in four babies die at birth, and of those surviving, two in five die of disease or malnutrition before they are five years old.