Members of the Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club are using their seamstress skills to help orphaned girls in Africa.

Local club members have contributed 50 dresses for Little Dresses for Africa, an international effort that distributes donated dresses in 31 countries in Africa. Little Dresses for Africa receives dresses and donations nationwide as well as from other countries.

The dresses are made from pillow cases and the members add decorative trimming and lace. The simple garments are given to churches, orphanages and schools across the continent.

The aid organization says on its website that more than 560,000 dresses have been distributed. Members make annual trip to Africa to distribute the garments and other donations.

In addition to sending dresses to Africa, the organization also has distributed the garments to Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Philippines and Cambodia during times of crisis and even domestically to South Dakota and the Appalachian region.