“School Fees!!” Sarah shouts as she raises her two hands in the air. Sarah just received two payments—one payment for her loose beads that will be combined with other beads for Niyee Designs creations, another payment from my pocket for a few of her multi-colored strands that might not have found a place in our recent order, but will make great gifts for my friends back home.
Sarah is one of the key members of Niyee Designs. She has played a large part in training most of the women in Niyee Designs in the art of transforming magazine and calendar paper into beautiful beads. She is a mobilizer, an organizer, and a true artist. She has an eye for colors and patterns and takes delight in her completed necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.
Not only does she take joy in creating beautiful jewelry, she takes great delight in providing for the people she loves. She often mentions this as her reason for being committed to her work. “Why would we not take this seriously if this is what is feeding our families and sending our children to school?”
Paper bead jewelry. Beautiful, unique, and enjoying a growing popularity among those who appreciate the artistry and the story behind each piece. That particular color brings out your eyes and that little bead hints of your love for the earth in the recycled strip of paper which still bears a few of its original words.
But there’s a much larger story behind that lovely necklace. As Sarah shouted when she received her payment last week, those beads send kids to school. The income generated from these beads also help the ladies start up small businesses they can run individually, in their own communities.
Niyee Designs officially launched its brand and business in November of last year and has since completed orders from the U.S., scheduled a small business training course to take place in March, and acquired a “village bank” to begin group savings and loans. Its members include young mothers as well as grandmothers who are providing for multiple children in their care.
Niyee. It means peace in the Luo language. The members chose this word not only to represent the kind of peaceful community they are working toward after 20 years of war, but to draw attention to the kind of peace that entered their hearts when Christ came into their lives.
Sarah is one of the key members of Niyee Designs. She has played a large part in training most of the women in Niyee Designs in the art of transforming magazine and calendar paper into beautiful beads. She is a mobilizer, an organizer, and a true artist. She has an eye for colors and patterns and takes delight in her completed necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.
Not only does she take joy in creating beautiful jewelry, she takes great delight in providing for the people she loves. She often mentions this as her reason for being committed to her work. “Why would we not take this seriously if this is what is feeding our families and sending our children to school?”
Paper bead jewelry. Beautiful, unique, and enjoying a growing popularity among those who appreciate the artistry and the story behind each piece. That particular color brings out your eyes and that little bead hints of your love for the earth in the recycled strip of paper which still bears a few of its original words.
But there’s a much larger story behind that lovely necklace. As Sarah shouted when she received her payment last week, those beads send kids to school. The income generated from these beads also help the ladies start up small businesses they can run individually, in their own communities.
Niyee Designs officially launched its brand and business in November of last year and has since completed orders from the U.S., scheduled a small business training course to take place in March, and acquired a “village bank” to begin group savings and loans. Its members include young mothers as well as grandmothers who are providing for multiple children in their care.
Niyee. It means peace in the Luo language. The members chose this word not only to represent the kind of peaceful community they are working toward after 20 years of war, but to draw attention to the kind of peace that entered their hearts when Christ came into their lives.
Niyee Designs' story continues to unfold. Keep in touch and learn how you can partner with us in the future.
Some ideas to think about:
Would you like to do a fundraiser for our organization by selling our beads? Let us know.
Would you like to know anything more about our members or our products? Drop us an email.
Would you like to visit us? You're most welcome . . .
1 comment:
Hi Dana!
Talk more about the fund raising aspect of the necklaces. How about selling them in the book store at Madison for example? My husband works at The Potters House - how about having a middle or high school class sell them as a project that not only benefits these women, but teaches them an important lesson on sustainable development? What would that take? How do we get the necklaces to the US? (besides our friendly 'pack mule' Andrea that's coming soon! :-)...)
Kris
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