By Dave Schweidenback

Every year is a little different but Pedals for Progress/Sewing Peace has always run in cycles. We establish a bunch of new programs and we concentrate on resupplying them for a number of years until we reach a critical mass and we are no longer needed. Then it is time to move on to new programs in new countries.

2019 was a rebuilding year. We opened new programs in Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo, and Zambia. We started our fiscal 2020 in October 2019 opening a new program in South Africa. Opening a new program is in effect starting a new business. New businesses require a capital outlay to get them up and running. We had a very expensive year!

The spring collections were relatively flat compared to the previous year. However this autumn our production was up over 30% compared to the previous fall!

Our autumn collectors really knocked the cover off the ball.

We have not had such a successful autumn since 2004. I truly wish I could say why this fall was so successful (I can’t) but we are certainly grateful. Our goal is to collect as many usable bikes and sewing machines as possible, so rising production is a good thing, but alas more expensive also.

The last effect of opening new programs and rising production is a tremendously interesting newsletter. We have stories from all sorts of new places for you to read, stories that demonstrate the efficacy of our mission. And our mission has met the test of time. There are still places that desperately need our help; and our program delivers. We help people stay in their hometown and be successful rather than becoming being economic migrants.

I thank you so much for your support throughout the years and this year in particular. We literally could not do it without you.