Baby, These Beads Have Been Places
Have you ever seen something and knew right away it was exactly your style?
That's the way I felt the first time I saw hand-rolled paper beads from Uganda strung into a beautiful necklace in an online store.
I've always believed that a person's jewelry says something about them. That's probably why I rarely wear very much - I struggle to find something I really love long-term.
But about 10 years ago, I ran across something called Uganda beads - jewelry made by hand in Uganda out of scraps of paper by women with loads of ingenuity looking for a good, stable income.
Instantly, I knew I had found my kind of jewelry - the kind with a story baked into it - the kind that had been places.
So, I bought a few necklaces from a company employing these ladies in Uganda in an ethical way, and I even got my mom and sister into it too. Later, we found other companies popping up offering the same thing from other countries too, but we struggled to find an affordable way to feed our new paper bead habit.
So, I took apart my old necklaces, made them into new patterns, and started sharing them with a few friends. Then, I did the same with my sister's and mom's necklaces too, and we found out that we really liked the funky, fresh look of the strands and we got so many compliments when we wore them.
When I started Togetherness Redefined earlier this year, I knew I had to find a way to share my Uganda beads with my readers - folks who have been places and want to go to even more.
But I had no source for the beads, and I desperately wanted to work with a nonprofit for this - to make the impact go even further. So, like any modern-day lady, I posted a little plea on my social media accounts asking anyone if they knew of a nonprofit selling Uganda beads, not really believing I'd get any leads.
A few short hours later, I heard from a young lady I knew many moons ago - a youth group member of ours from back in a past life when we were youth pastors. She's all grown up now and working with a nonprofit in Uganda mentoring ladies who earn a salary making paper beads. She said she thought they might have some to sell, and she connected me with the organization's founder. A couple of days later, I was on the phone with the sweet young lady who runs the nonprofit, and she let me know that she had enough beads for whatever I wanted to do.
I yelped, I danced, and I may have even cried just a little bit. I had found my beads.
Whispers of Love Uganda is a nonprofit working to produce culture-transforming citizens of Uganda by providing a home for vulnerable children and jobs for vulnerable women. Many women are making paper beads in Uganda, but while most are paid only once per year when a vendor comes to buy their wares, the women working with Whispers of Love are paid a monthly salary, providing a stable income for their families. These ladies also receive mentoring and ongoing training, giving them a work and faith community as well. For more on how the beads are made, visit their website here.
And now, I've turned those beads into necklaces.
The Bevan
Named for the sweet Jamaican orphan girl I desperately wanted to adopt when I was only 16, these strands are spunky, sporty, and full of pizazz ~ multicolor bead necklaces that show off your funky side.
The Sofia
Named for the smart Haitian girl who was my penpal for 10 years, these strands are fun, friendly, and can even be fancy at times ~ bead necklaces with 2 or 3 colors that show off your eclectic side.
The Mercy
Named for the young woman I dream about meeting one day - the one who is strong, sassy, and full of hope for herself and her family, who works hard and just needs a friend to help her spread her wings, these strands are simple, sweet, and sassy ~ single color bead necklaces that show off your low-maintenance side.
The Creator
Make your own strand. Send an email with your requested strand length and color(s), and you will receive all of the supplies needed to make your own strand.
Pricing:
These strands are currently available through our private email store. If you're interested, shoot me an email and I'll let you know what we have in stock.
Sourcing:
All of the beads are made by employees of Whispers of Love Uganda, and all of the designs are created by myself and my friends and family, lovingly stranded and packaged by hand.
Every strand is one of a kind, and we are dedicated to ethical sourcing, plastic-free packaging, and regularly improving our materials and process.
Shipping:
Standard shipping is included in the purchase price, but faster shipping can be requested at an additional charge. Because these necklaces are handmade and stored in my traveling home, shipping time will depend on my current location. To ensure a speedy delivery, please include details in your email about any needed by dates, and I will let you know if I can meet your request before you purchase.
