‘It’s super impressive’: Halifax teen connects knitters, donates hats for newborns

Halifax high school student Ryan Musyoka collects hand-made hats for newborns and donates them to the IWK.

Inspired by his baby brother and a donated hat, a Halifax high school student is connecting knitters and collecting hats for newborns at the IWK Health Centre.

Ryan Musyoka says he started the project two years ago, the day his brother Myles was born.

“On the counter next to my mom was just a crocheted baby hat, and I was more curious than anything because I was like, ‘Where did this come from?’ After asking and looking around, I saw that the IWK takes donations for crocheted baby hats from anyone who donates,” says Musyoka.

He says the gift from the kind stranger who made the donation left a lasting impact.

“It made me feel kind of safer in that room. Made me feel almost as if it was my second home just because of this handmade gift that was not even for me, (but) for my baby brother,” says Musyoka. “It gave me that effect that made me feel cozy. And when I saw that, I was like, ‘Oh, how can I make sure that other people keep having that experience?’”

With help from his parents, he created Cozy Hearts Collective.

Musyoka hasn’t yet learned how to knit, so he decided to connect local knitters with the opportunity to make handmade hats for newborns.

“I’ve been just like recently just going on Facebook. It’s awesome because a lot of people seem to be really willing to just help and give me support … even people who can’t knit, they’ll tell me, ‘Oh, there’s people down at the Sackville Public Library and they knit,’’ he says.

“I would provide them all the stuff they need, the guides for patterns, and then I would pick up the hats and donate them to the IWK.”

Musyoka has been able to rally enough local knitters to create at least 80 handmade hats.

“I think it’s super impressive. The level of organization and to look for someone to put all this together and keep all these donations coming in, it’s fantastic,” says Sarah Lezama, a nurse at Halifax’s IWK hospital.

“Parents like them. It’s very exciting to have a new baby on the way, whether it’s your first or multiple babies. Just seeing new hats come on, and you get to pick one. I had a patient not long ago, she had all boys, and she actually kept the same hat for each baby that she had because the first time, it was just so special to her,” says Lauren Perrie, another IWK nurse.

As a Grade 10 student, Musyoka says his little brother keeps him motivated to grow his non-profit.

“After school, I’ll be tired, I’ll go home, and then I see my baby brother running to my door, and it’s just like, it’s always a reminder because he’s the reason why I started this.”

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page