Strangers on Kijiji get the ball rolling on epic knitting project

When Lauretta Iyamu arrived in Montreal with her husband and two-year-old son last fall, the family had nothing. A social worker suggested that the asylum seekers from Nigeria should post an ad on Kijiji with a list of things they needed.

"OK, let me just try," said Iyamu, who wrote a post asking for gently used necessities. 

What happened next was a heartening lesson in the kindness of strangers, as well as the beginning of an ambitious new charitable project.

After Iyamu posted her ad, she was inundated with everything she and her family could possibly need to furnish their empty apartment — mattresses, cooking utensils, even toys for David, her toddler. It was all free, and almost all of it was hand-delivered.

"Really?" said Iyamu. "People could actually help someone they've never met in their life? Just because they saw a post from someone in need? That really touched me. We never expected so much kindness from people."

One of the Good Samaritans who dropped things off was a young man named Constantin Bungeanu. He arrived in Montreal as an immigrant from Romania seven years ago.

"I collect things," said the Uber driver. "If I find something on the street, I just stop the car and take it home. There's always somebody who needs something. There are newcomers every day."

Bungeanu delivered a nearly-new stroller and toys to Iyamu and her family. Soon, Iyamu started wondering what she could do for strangers in return.

She decided to start knitting baby clothes to hand out to hospitals and shelters. Iyamu didn't know how to knit, but that didn't stop her. She met a woman online who quickly taught her everything she needed to know.

She also didn't fret about her lack of knitting needles and yarn. She counted on Montreal's Kijiji community to help her out.

After Iyamu posted her second ad, this time asking for free knitting supplies, a man named Andrew spotted it. He didn't think much of it until, half an hour later, he saw another ad from a woman who was giving away two big bags of yarn.

"What are the odds?" wondered Andrew. "So I e-mailed the woman, picked up her yarn, and brought it to Lauretta. It was all different colours."

For Iyamu, the fresh yarn delivery is what truly kick-started her project.

"Bringing the wool really motivated me," she said.

Now, Iyamu is knitting up a storm, creating baby hats, scarves, gloves and jumpers that she plans to donate to people in need on Easter weekend.

"With just a little act of kindness with my work, I know I'll be able to put a smile on other people's faces," she said.