By Zach Forte

We at The Love Quilt Project believe that education is the most powerful tool to make a difference in a child's life. Without our sponsors, partners, and volunteers, we would not be able to provide educational support and deliver quilts with messages of hope and love to the many children living in foster care in South Africa. Using the fabric squares made by children in the U.S, our quilter volunteers piece the quilt tops. Then, our friends at The Bandanna Company in Greenville, SC finish them off with beautiful fabric backing, top stitching, and binding. In January 2024, LQP volunteers traveled to South Africa and delivered close to 150 love quilts.

Naiden Kremenliev, CEO of Carolina Creative Enterprises, the parent company of The Bandanna Company, first learned about The Love Quilt Project in 2022, after our staff returned from South Africa to distribute love quilts to children living in foster care. Once Naiden saw the many smiling faces of the children receiving their love quilts, he knew he was making the right choice by forming this partnership. “Really seeing the look on these kids' faces and seeing how impactful that can be, that was very powerful to me. When you’re running a manufacturing facility, stuff comes in one side of the plant, you make it, and it goes out the other side. You don’t really get to see the reaction of people getting the product. It’s really good to see so many people can come together and pull a project like this off.” Naiden emphasized the power and importance of peoples’ actions as the driving force behind any effort whether in business or philanthropy.

Even within his own company, Naiden sees opportunities to positively impact peoples’ lives. “We can provide a product to them that we believe is a useful product, but also it’s very important to us as a local manufacturer in the United States to be able to offer employment and opportunities to folks. As younger folks enter the workforce, there’s a whole spectrum of opportunities from initial line worker all the way through management ranks.” For those who do not have access to higher education, these entry-level positions offer training and provide the necessary experience to break into the field while giving employees a stable income with an adequate standard of living.

Naiden’s philosophy matches LQP’s: a quality education is the key to improving a person’s standard of living, no matter where they live. The acquisition of knowledge not only fosters personal growth but also leads to one becoming a more respected and well-rounded individual, unlocking numerous opportunities for those who seize the opportunity. “I believe that education, especially starting at youth age, it’s such a powerful tool for people. You have to have the access to education, but you have to have the want for an education. I realized fairly early on that having a better education gives you more opportunities in the future. That’s what it takes for someone to realize that they have an opportunity to improve their social situation if they want to.”

Naiden truly believes in the impact education can have on transforming lives. He highlights how crucial it is for everyone to have access to quality education and a genuine eagerness to learn, especially starting at a young age. Education is the common thread that helps break the predetermined future and cycles of poverty that many impoverished children face in South Africa today and allow them to succeed and live a fulfilling and joyful life.

EDUCATION UNLOCKS OPPORTUNITIES: AN INTERVIEW WITH NAIDEN KREMENLIEV