This thread reminds me of sewing lessons my mother did for girls in our rural community 50 years ago. There were about 5 or 6 "town" girls who were in 7th grade (I was in 9th) that came for lessons. One of them had lost her mother when she was in 2nd grade. I think it was that girl that Mom wanted to help. The other girls had mothers who were either non-sewers or didn't have the patience to teach their daughters.
We had the girls at our house for sessions, and the goal was for each girl to make a "shift" dress. I don't believe that any of them had sewn before. I was her assistant, and somehow everyone had a finished dress after a few sessions.
At 88 my mother still does wonderful things for people in her community, but I often think about how those sewing sessions with the "town" girls were "above and beyond" the call of duty.
Dayle