It was a trip to Kazakhstan that changed the life of Melissa Scott forever. After all, that's where she met her daughter (pictured with her above) and decided that she couldn't stand the thought of coming back to the United States knowing so many kids were there without families and the love of a parent. Instead of feeling powerless, Melissa decided she would do something that would impact the lives of these kids who haunted her dreams. So, she founded Dream Prosperity, an international humanitarian organization that provides personalized pillowcases to orphans around the world so that when they go to sleep at night, they can be comforted by the fact that somewhere out there someone is thinking of them. She said one of the reasons these children end up in orphanages is because their parents are unable to take care of them. As a result, Dream Prosperity offers fair trade projects in the countries it serves to help empower women artisans by offering them a way to create sustainable enterprises.
Dream Prosperity currently serves Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uganda, Ghana (a center of rescued child slaves), Sierra Leone, Honduras and foster care programs in the U.S. Their fair trade items include toys and dolls made from banana leaves made by women who work for or around the orphanage we serve (Uganda) and vibrantly colored floor pillows (Kazakhstan).
And the best part of Melissa's job? She says it allows her to fulfill all of her passions — creativity, innovation, international travel, working with boutiques, helping global artisans and making a difference for orphans.