.
|
|
Clutching her certificate and with a tear in her eye Amono Night tells us she has never been to school so she is quite surprised to have a jaunty scabbard and tassel on her head. |
|
 Amono Night |
She never thought she would graduate from anything. But she did, along with 84 other beaders, in a poignant ceremony followed by joyful dancing and a small feast. These first graduates of BeadforLife have been making and selling beads, earning a regular income, saving money, having entrepreneurial training, micro finance matching grants, and launching themselves into new businesses. They will be leaving our program and supporting themselves and their families through other income that they have developed while with BeadforLife. |
| This is “Independence Day” and is a key ingredient in the formula that BeadforLife has developed, one that creates self-sufficiency. This graduation makes room for another new group of impoverished hard working people to join BeadforLife. Welcome to our party. You can see what fun we had and how high the hopes are. | |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
We danced and sang, hugged, cried, and remembered the ups and the downs. And we celebrated the success of eradicating poverty, one beader at a time. All of the Bead Circle is wishing each one of our graduates the very best: happiness, robust health, and wonderful success at earning a living. Happy Spring. |
|
Chickens, old shoes, grains, and cold drinks for sale!
In late March BeadforLife distributed our first Business Matching Grants each of 640,000 Ugandan Shillings ($375) to assist in launching businesses. This matching grant allows for a sizeable investment, a big step in starting businesses. The beaders bought chicks, refrigerators, and supplies, rented store fronts for six months, bought a sewing machine, and were open for business.
Here are our hard working first recipients and staff members Eva and Stella.
Eva Auma, Entrepreneurial assistant
Rose Namakasa – crafts and jewelry
Najjemb Mariam – shoe business and poultry farm
Oryem Stephen – wholesale basic foodstuffs; oil, grains, beans
Kayongo Harriet – butchery near the new village
Natembo Nullu – charcoal and matoke selling (a favorite food)
Kavuma Sarah: food retail shop
Nassuma Kasifa: cold refreshments, cakes, and snacks stand
Nammudu Patricia: tailoring business
Naiga Rose: poultry farm
Onundo Jane: restaurant
Ssenitongo Rashida: rents out houses that she built
Stella Ssalli: Coordinator for entrepreneurial development
Sarah Ndegere’s Most Excellent Chicken Farm
By Eva Auma, BeadforLife Entrepreneurial Program
When Sarah had just been enrolled into BeadforLife she had a family of 5 children she was struggling to support single handedly being a widow. She was wasting from AIDS and worried about what would happen to her children when she died. But slowly by slowly since BeadforLife her health returned.
She has always been focused and quick at learning new ideas. Soon after the entrepreneurial training she started a poultry business with only two local hens, each laying an egg daily. Each month she saved money and bought another hen. With continuous acquisition of business skills in BeadforLife and inspiration from her sister-in-law who owned a poultry farm, Sarah was able to push on with her young and tender business.
Sarah now owns a poultry farm with stock worth 1,000,000 UGX. (Approximately $800) She has sixty birds. With her matching grant from BeadforLife she has ordered for 200 local birds for eggs and 200 broilers for which she built 3 poultry houses. Sarah is now able to make a monthly profit of 200,000 UGX (approximately $125) from eggs alone besides other profits earned from sales of broilers after every two months.
With good customer care and advertising, Sarah has been able to keep her business booming. She is one of the many successful beaders in BeadforLife with an excellent saving skill. Like other beaders with a solid business, Sarah is ready to move on and the sky remains a limit in her business. Sarah has also built a house in Friendship Village. She and her family are out of poverty!
Take Action! Host a BeadParty! Make a Difference and Have a Good Time Last year over 1,800 people hosted BeadParties and/or Community Events throughout North America, and in many other countries. This incredible response has allowed us to expand our program, (see Matching Grants article above) and continues to support women in Uganda who are raising their families from poverty. Have fun trying on the jewelry, enjoy great company, learn more about global poverty, and participate in “Eradicating Poverty One Bead at a Time." BeadParties are simple and fun to give. Often women give parties with their friends and co-workers. BeadParties are held in homes, churches, offices, and schools and at a variety of other venues. Book clubs, art fairs, conferences, farmers’ markets, graduation, and family reunions are all excellent opportunities to bring BeadforLIfe to your community. Get creative! |
 |
 |
|
We will send you everything you need to host a fantastic and successful party including: our beautiful beads, educational materials, yummy Ugandan recipes, biographies of the beaders, original music CD, and our inspirational DVD of the beaders. “This is a wonderful way in which all of us can do something to help the women of Uganda. Thank you for everything that you and your staff do to make this process so smooth and easy. The fact that you have worked out how to handle all of the necessary paperwork, party ideas, and all of the other side issues to the party with such ease, just makes it even better.
We’ll be talking to you again....” |
 |
To sign up or learn more about hosting a BeadParty please visit us at: www.beadforlife.org/bpartylanding.html You can also contact us at party@beadforlife.org Thanks for being part of the Bead Circle! |
|
Spring is a time of awakening. With the blooming of the flowers, the renewal of nature and the days growing longer, our spirits brighten. Celebrate this special time by sharing the story of BeadforLife and the beads, about the passion of Ugandan women who have chosen to work their way out of poverty and create a better life for themselves and their families. Our beads will connect you to this joy and determination!
The jewelry makes great gifts for special occasions such as: Mother’s Day, birthdays, graduations, end of the year teacher “thank you”s”, and bridesmaid gifts.
Ideal Spring Gifts:
- Single Drop Earrings are now available on our website. Our single drop earrings add a flash of color to any outfit. One bright paper bead is suspended from a string of complementary glass beads. $10
- Bangle bracelets look great worn in a multitude of bright, juicy colors $5 each
- BeadforLife Note Cards offer exquisite images that show the strength and perseverance of the women in Uganda $12
Check out these and other items at our web store:
Your gift gives twice; once to the lucky recipient and once to the woman who made the beadsHello,
My name is Cindy Henley and I recently saw on a news program, your story. My best friend Debbie and I make jewelry to sell at craft shows, home parties, churches, schools, etc. The BeadforLife story touched me so much that I immediately went on-line and ordered 3 packages of the beads. Within a few days, I received my package of beads, and much to my surprise, the beads are SO beautiful!! Just the story alone was my motive to order the beads to contribute to these amazing women and their families. But, after making jewelry with the beads, I was speechless.These beads make beautiful jewelry and I truly believe they will be a big hit among the people we sell our jewelry to. I loved "playing" with the colors and matching with our other beads and stones, such as turquoise, tiger's eye, amber, etc. I was compelled to write to you and tell you how much I love these beads and what they mean to me, as we help the women of Uganda. I am very proud to include these beads into our designs and want to thank you for sponsoring these women and children.
Sincerely,
Cindy Henley and Debbie Vaughan
Two Friends Creations
