From Uganda to the USA -It takes enthusiasm and commitment to make it all happen!

A few BeadForLife staff carrying shea butter tubs/buckets to be loaded onto the container a few minutes after the arrival of the truck.

It was a bright Friday morning; everybody seemed overwhelmed by the activities going on in inventory as we prepared for our very first sea shipment in a huge container that would carry our beads and shea butter to America. Despite the humming and singing of gospel music that goes on in inventory, everyone seemed busy and anxious while they each made their final touches putting boxes together, packing jewelry, labeling and weighing each individual box one after another. We all had our eyes wide open, anxious to usher in the enormous metal container that would eventually ship our beads, shea butter and the shea soap via the Atlantic Ocean all the way to America.  The waiting can be compared to that of a husband waiting in the corridors of the labor ward, looking out for a doctor to break the news “you have a baby” . . . The name DAMCO (the shipping agent we used) became so popular within the inventory team that anyone who walked in would think that “DAMCO” was one of the staff members working there.

Finally our long awaited container mounted onto a truck was driven in on Monday morning of July 19^th 2010. The entire team

Arranging boxes of BeadforLife paper bead jewelry, raw shea butter and BeadforLife shea soap in the container headed to the USA.

looked energized to pack up the container with beaded jewelry from the inventory department, raw shea butter and lemongrass/ lavender shea soap from the Shea Team. With the team spirit, no one seemed to wear down. It was fun having the two teams work together, handing boxes up into the truck while others mathematically and with expertise stuffed the container with inventory that will eventually be stockpiled in the USA where BeadforLife has another family of well-wishers and good spirited people who buy beads and shea products as a means of being part of the BeadforLife mission and cause.

Within about 3 hours the packing was done, container sealed and ready to take off for Mombasa-Kenya.  (Uganda is a land locked country, so cargo has to go through either Kenya or Tanzania).  A look in everyone’s eyes seemed to read  . . . “hmmm mission accomplished”! It is enthusiasm and commitment that makes it all happen.  Hooray! Shea Team and Inventory as we look forward to the next sea shipment.

The container is shut tight with a security seal as it leaves the BeadforLife premises. Final destination - Boulder, Colorado !!

Tags: Africa, BeadCircle, BeadforLife, Boulder, Colorado, Empowering Women, paper jewelry, Poverty Eradication, shea butter, sustainability, Uganda, Women Making A Difference