Knit One Save One

I don't remember how I got there, but the other day I came across an advertisement for the Knit One Save One campaign sponsored by Save The Children. Knit One Save One is a grass-roots operation collecting hand-knitted or crocheted hats from all over the U.S. for babies in developing countries. It is part of the larger Survive to 5 campaign that is working to raise awareness of preventable newborn deaths and providing basic health measures to help children survive past their fifth birthday.

Every year, more than 9 million children in the developing world die before they reach the age of 5. That means about 25,000 children under 5 are dying every day! Many of these deaths are from preventable or treatable illnesses like pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, measles and complications related to childbirth. Nearly four million of these deaths occur to newborns – babies less than one month old. A critical element in the solution is the availability of a local community health worker. Save the Children trains community health workers to deliver life-saving care to women and children in remote areas and provides Better Beginnings for Babies Kits to expectant mothers. These kits contain items to promote better hygiene at delivery and promote proper care of newborns. And this is where Knit One Save One project comes into play. Each Better Beginnings for Babies Kit includes a knitted hat that helps keep a baby warm in those first critical hours and days after birth.

Isn't it amazing that something so simple can help save a life? That's why I decided to get busy. I haven't a clue how to knit, but I did learn to crochet as a little girl. So even though I hadn't picked up a crochet hook in over twenty years, I gave it a shot. It took me a few tries and a refresher course of directions downloaded from the internet, but low and behold - a hat!

It may not be the best looking thing and it is certainly filled with it's share of imperfect stitches, but is also filled with the love and good wishes of one mother to another.

So I'm asking you to join the cause. If you already know how to knit or crochet, fantastic! You'll be able to whip one of these up in a couple of hours. If not, these simple crocheting stitches are super easy to learn - believe me - and you'll have a hat finished in a few evenings. Give it a try. Even if you only make one, even if it isn't pretty, you're still making a difference. Like Mother Teresa always liked to say, “It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters.”

Click HERE for some basic crocheting instructions.

Click HERE for more info on the Knit One Save One campaign.

If you don't have the time or ability to knit a hat click HERE to donate a Better Beginnings for Babies Kit. It's only $10!