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Bead
for Life beads are made from paper taken from colorful magazines,
calendars, pamphlets and even cereal boxes. Each bead is
carefully rolled from a triangular piece of paper and glued.
Once finished, the beads are lightly varnished. Because more
than 500 women are making these beads, each bead is totally unique.
The variety of colors and sizes reflect the uniqueness of the women
who make them.
BeadforLife
eradicates extreme poverty by creating bridges of understanding
between hard working and impoverished Africans and North Americans who
want to create a world that works for all. Ugandan women turn colorful
recycled paper, into beautiful beads. This beauty becomes income,
food, medicine, school fees, and hope. It is
a small miracle.
Our
members are women with children living on less than two dollars a day.
Many have fled the war in Northern Uganda. Others live with HIV or
other serious health challenges. They are incredibly welcoming, hard
working, resilient, and creative.
North Americans partner with Ugandans by opening their hearts, homes,
and communities to buy and sell the beads. All profits from
BeadforLife are invested in community development projects that
generate income and help people escape extreme poverty. This circle of
caring and participation enriches us all.
BeadforLife is guided by the following principles:
1. Creating jobs through local
partnerships is a more sustainable approach to poverty eradication
than providing aid. Rather than become dependent on handouts from
abroad, the beaders build their skills and long-term capacities
through meaningful creative work.
2. Concerned citizens in resource abundant countries care about the
issues of extreme poverty and are willing to get involved.
3. Paying our beaders fair trade prices allows them to meet their
daily economic needs. Investing 100% of our net profits in community
development projects for impoverished Ugandans allows for a long-term
sustainable future.
4. Forming partnerships between North Americans and Ugandan beaders
enriches all of us.
Member of the Fair Trade Federation
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