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featured segments, African Woman, Spring 2006

ACCESSORIZING THEIR WAY OUT OF POVERTY
HOW PAPER BEADS CAN CHANGE A LIFE.
Milly Grace Akena was sitting by the side of the road rolling paper beads, Torkin Wakefield happened to walk by. "She asked me what are you doing", remembers Milly, who showed Torkin how she was rolling heads out of old magazines. Milly had been making beads for a while, hut was having a hard time finding a market to sell them in. "II we could get a market, I believe many women could do this thing". says Milly. Torkin bought a whole bunch of necklaces made out of
the paper beads. "She took them to America with some photos. Then she came back and assured us that there was a market"
PROJECT 'BEAD FOR LIFE' WAS BORN.
The National Theatre is buzzing with life today, as nearly 40 beaders are gathered on stage recording a CD. The CD will he sent to North America along with a DVD, photos and of course a whole bunch of beads that will be sold at a 'bead party'. There were held over 500 bead parties last year, mainly in North America hut also a few in Europe and Australia. 'Go tell Americans about BeadforLife', the women sing. 'We dance while we are struggling, on the hill of Acholi quarters'.

The BeadforLife project has so far created a living income for 150 families. The first group was the Acholi women from 'Acholi Quarters', just outside Kampala. "We have 90 members in that group", says 'Torkin. "And we could easily have 300 I'm sure. But we put $8000 into that community every month when we
buy their beads. We also encourage them to spend this money in their community." The second group of women are part of the Nsambya hospital home health care program. Most are widowed and have HIV It's not really about the beads though. It's about the eradication of poverty. "You can't be a beader forever", says Torkin and this is why the project has recently hired a full time staff member who is going to help the beaders get started in other careers.