11-YEAR-OLD CROCHET MASTER USE SKILL TO GIVE BACK TO THOSE IN NEED
At the age of five, John Larson had an unusual hobby for his age. He became interested in crocheting, a craft usually associated with people many decades older. It all started when Larson was given a bag of supplies and then started learning crafting skills via YouTube.
After a lot of dedication, the 11-year-old became a "crochet prodigy" who took on challenging projects that many adults would have struggled with. Larson shares all of his creations, from colourful blankets to amigurumi octopus, on his popular Instagram account called John's Hands.
Larson finds peace, happiness and excitement in crocheting. “After a very hard, stressful and chaotic day in this busy world with school,” he says, “it's just nice to know that I can come home and crochet in my little corner of the house, next to the one I do love most: my mom.” His mom, Jennifer, was the first to give him crochet tools, although she didn't craft herself. Instead, she supports her son, whom she adopted as a baby from an Ethiopian orphanage. She posts on his Instagram and joins Facebook crochet groups on his behalf.
Now Larson has his own business selling what he makes. Because of its popularity, it is a self-sustaining business. With his winnings he buys his own yarn, saves some and donates it to his former orphanage. Larson recently decided to help even more. He launched GoFundMe in partnership with Roots Ethiopia, a non-profit organisation that will support the country's children and their families so they too can find their passion and fulfil their dreams.