BeadforLife Meets Nicholas Kristof

On March 13, Nicholas Kristof featured BeadforLife in his New York Times column under the title of  “Partying to Change the World.”  We are thrilled to have his respected voice and informed eye bring our message of participation in eradicating extreme poverty to so many people around the world.

In Kristof’s blog he says "My Sunday column is about BeadforLife, an organization I first heard about a couple of years ago as a leader in enterprise solutions to poverty.  I don’t usually write about just one group, but BeadforLIfe appealed to me both as a great yarn and because they are taking some innovative approaches – such as starting savings accounts, promoting entrepreneurship and of course de-worming kids.   BeadforLife also tries to listen to Ugandans, measures its results, and tweaks its model constantly - all good approaches.  And, of course, it offers Americans a way to get involved other than just writing checks." To read the Kristof column click here.

This was a month of traveling around for BeadforLife.  We attended the National Service Learning conference in San Jose to launch our new curriculum, “Understanding Global Poverty: How Youth Can Make a Difference.”  It is full of experiential learning for youth. 
Click here to learn more.

BeadforLife attended the Natural Products Expo in Anaheim to speak with cosmetics companies about our premium shea butter.  Developing the shea butter industry is our newest initiative to reach a greater number very poor women.   The shea tree grows across Northern Uganda, which has been devastated for two decades by war and horrifying hardship.  It is a natural resource and could be developed into an industry helping tens of thousands of people.  Watch for our Shea Butter products this summer.
Interested in buying wholesale? Click here.

We are happy to welcome lots of
new friends to our efforts to make the world a little bit better.  Thank you for your support.  Please consider getting involved by hosting a BeadParty, buying beads as gifts, and telling our story of women overcoming poverty.

Happy Spring to each of you.
Torkin Wakefield
Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director

Welcome “Unity”

After a very interesting and adventurous Membership Selection Workshop where 60 women were involved, 48 members successfully made it to the bead training and were all enrolled on March 3, 2010. It is the tenth group to be enrolled. 

The new group called themselves “Unity “ because they feel that they should always stand by each other and all improve their standards of living. They are confident, self driven, enthusiastic, co-operative and full of energy. They love to say ‘Yes we can’.

They are beginning 18 months of hard work, entrepreneurial education, better nutrition, with access to money and mosquito nets, family planning, and vocational skills.   Recently they all have opened savings accounts.  Imagine that you had never been inside a bank.  Saving was never the issue, it was eating.  And now you have an ATM card and money in your savings account!

The new members have such wonderful ideas of their dream businesses and future plans to support themselves.  We believe that with the motivation that they already have, they will fulfill their future dreams.  Welcome!

Address Correction

 Last month we announced that we had moved to our new location, but we gave an incorrect address! (Humbling indeed).
If you come to Boulder, Colorado, we would love for you to come by the office.

Here is our new address:   
2336 Canyon Blvd.
Boulder, Colo 80302

Google Map

Announcing the Madaala Necklace!

New for Spring: our highly anticipated Madaala Necklace! Pronounced “Mah-Daa-la,” this exciting and sophisticated item features graduated sized beads and a layered texture. We chose the word Madaala (meaning ladder in Luganda) because of how this piece resembles a traditional Ugandan ladder. It starts with large disk-shaped beads at the bottom of the necklace and ends with smaller beads at the top, and comes in a wonderful array of colors. Sure to become one of BeadforLife’s most popular items with a price tag of only $25, the Madaala Necklace is here just in time for Mother’s Day and Graduation.

This Spring, please consider this and other BeadforLife gifts that give back to people a world away. Check out our web store.

Jajja Sarah Writes to Glenda from Wisconsin, Part 2

They will likely never meet, but they are bringing each other mutual joy and a sense of connection.  Jajja Sarah is a widow with nine orphaned grandchildren and no money, and Glenda is a widow in Wisconsin who adopted three orphans.  Glenda is sponsoring Jajja Sarah to run a public water tap and build a public latrine.   From this investment of a few hundred dollars, Sarah can care for her family.  In Part 1, last month, Glenda wrote to Sarah and sent the money.  Here is a note from Irene Namaganda, BeadforLife membership director about when she delivered the money to Sarah. 

I went to see Jajja Sarah. I took her money for the latrine and after it is complete we will then give her for the Tap. She was very happy; she clapped her hands together and cried.  Then she said she would like to make a mat for Glenda.  She showed Glenda’s photo to her neighbors saying,  “I have a sister in America.”  She touched my heart with her hands as a way of passing on a blessing. I prayed it would go right to Glenda.  
Irene

Dear Glenda,                             18.02.2010

Thank you very much for helping me. Am very grateful, my friend.

Am sorry you lost your husband. I lost mine too. He died in the war on 16.05.1983.  He left me with 5 children, two girls and three boys. Four died (of AIDS) and they left me with nine grandchildren. It's hard to raise them because my legs ache a lot and I had no money for feeding.

Thank you for taking care of the children you adopted. May God bless your heart and may you live long. With the gift you sent us, am building a latrine and will operate a water tap.  The money I get from these businesses will feed my grandchildren and clothe them.

Thank you very very much.  May God bless you.

My grandchildren are very grateful and send you greetings. Please send my greetings to your children and grandchild.

Your Sister from Africa,
Jajja Sarah

Jajja Sarah with 7 of her 9 grandchildren