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Shop for a Cause: Acholi Beads
Mon., Aug. 31, 2009 2:00 PM PDT by Karen Brailsford
After hours of animal gazing while recently trekking through the San Diego Zoo, I stumbled into the gift shop for some much needed respite from the blistering heat. I was delighted to see that beyond the typical mugs and T-shirts, the store stocked a vast array of beautiful goods from around the world. Spread on a table were multicolored beads fashioned into earrings and necklaces. The beads tell an inspiring story…
The jewelry is made by the Acholi women of northern Uganda, who, after a brutal civil war, ended up in a hillside slum where they pounded boulders into gravel. Their earnings amounted to less than $1 a day. But through a partnership with Acholi Beads, the women now work from the comfort of their homes, creating beads from recycled paper. In their first year, the Acholi women made the equivalent of what they would have earned had they toiled in the rock quarry for 10 years, 365 days a year. They now run their own cooperative and learn how to manage their personal finances.
Moved by this amazing story, I bought this multicolored necklace, the company's "flagship piece," which I wear wrapped around my wrist as a bracelet. It's a sweet visual reminder that nothing is more fashionable than hope, surmounting obstacles and a helping hand.
Help the cause by purchasing your own Acholi beaded jewelry now!
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Now loading...Farrah Mon, Aug 31, 2009, 3:07 PM
1. This is the absolute reason why I love traveling so much! I believe traveling provides the greatest opportunities for one's eyes to be opened to unique experiences of seeing great places, meeting wonderful people, and exploring one-of-a-kind opportunities. I'm not just a fashion lover, but also a travel addict. It is through combining both of these passions that I've found the most meaningful way of expanding my closet collection. This way I feel that every wardrobe possession of mine has a story behind it. Just like this multi-colored bead necklace made by the Acholi women of northern Uganda.Very inspiring post indeed.Farrahhttp://stylecrumbs.blogspot.com
John K. Grabish Tue, Sep 1, 2009, 3:45 AM
2. How wonderful to see these beads for sale in a gift shop. It would be nice if more shops carry all the beads from Africa. These beads are changing lives in Africa. We here at Caring Hands Kampala can tell you many stories how through Caring Hands program has taken these families out of the slums into decent housing with ownership, educate the children * medical attention, Sleeping in beds for the first time in their lives, Now the mom's are in a literacy program. Do you know how much it means for a mother in Africa to read