LET THE HOPE BEGIN!
Our new endeavor, the Uganda Neclaces-For-Hope Project is now off the ground!
The necklaces are now in-house and ready to ship! You are going to love them! And I have a feeling you are going to love even more the feeling of truly being a blessing to someone you will never even meet even more...
The necklaces will vary in color and length but they're all wonderful! Since no two are alike, you'll understand why we ask that you let us simply reach in and pick one (or more!) for you.
Each necklace is $16.00 each (a deal!) or 2 for $30.00 or 3 for $39.00. We even reduced the price of giftwrapping from $4.00 to $2.00 to encourage you to share these with friends as a gift. If you do, be sure and print out the entire story behind this project from our website and tuck it in with the necklace gift -- this will make the recipient even more appreciative of their gift!
Below (in blue) is "the story" and it is also detailed on the website. My hope is that you will read this, take it all in, and never be the same...
These women are real. They woke up this morning just like you and began their day with their children and family's welfare in mind. But the burden they shoulder every day is enormous. There are no "getaway" trips to Starbucks or the mall for them. The stress is unrelenting and constant. BUT! By learning a trade and (EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY) having an avenue through which to consistently sell what they make, they now have hope. How can ask for more than that?
So again -- 'Can a necklace change a life?' You bet it can -- read on:
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Unbeknownst to most of us, there is a population of women a world away in Jinja, Uganda struggling just to survive.
Each day is a struggle to dodge the devastating "bullets" of malaria, hunger, water-borne disease, sheer poverty, and AIDS. For many, if not most, they are fighting a losing battle...
We have become aware of and are now taking concrete steps to help a group of women living in Jinja, Uganda, by being part of their efforts to learn a trade and then sell their works.The women are being taught viable trades such as sewing (see the pictures of the little shorts made from paper concrete mix bags!) and jewelry-making.
They go to a sort of shed-like structure, all open-air, each day and are taught these trades and are given opportunities to sell what they've made. Mainly, they count on tourists to buy a few things here and there. As you might imagine, though, tourism to Jinja, Uganda is not exactly a bustling industry. These women need other avenues of commerce besides just the occasional tourist there locally.
This is where The Beautiful Life has decided to become involved. Can you think of a broader avenue of commerce than the world-wide-web?? And, what better product to offer to you women than one made from a fellow woman who is in dire need? You get a beautiful, handmade piece of wearable art and in turn, you help change her life -- her world.
A trip was made in June, 2008 and at that time mosquito nets (to help prevent malaria) were handed out as well as bed sheets (to cover the grass/hay mats they sleep directly on!) and also travel-sized toiletries of all kinds (a real luxury for them!) and flip-flops, etc. It was like Christmas for them!
From the trip in June, we have necklaces only, but another trip to Jinja is planned and we hope to have beautiful dangling earrings brought back as well! As you can see, the necklaces vary in color and length, etc. so we ask that you allow us to simply reach in and grab one (or more!) for you. We know you'll love whatever you receive. You'll love the feeling of helping a fellow sister across the world even more!
How many can we send you???
5 comments:
Hi,
I received my items and I am having a lot of fun using them in my little "creations". I wanted to ask your permission to talk about the necklaces for hope (as well as your site) on my blog. What a wonderful outreach you have going.
hugs,
Barb
Come take a look. I will be ordering mine, as well as some other things.
God bless you.
Barb
Ruth,
What a blessed project that helps these women in another continent. We are so blessed here in the USA to just have running water.
Thank you for your comment on our blog.....yes, there will always be glitches every once in a while, that's for sure! So glad your package "landed"! Your package was the first to be lost, and it made us feel so terrible for you, the customer! Although we could ship another, we just felt bad it took so long to get to you! Whew!
Have a lovely week!
Kara
I have some of these beads, bought at a Cultural Survival Bazaar in Provincetown. I love them but have one question that you might want to find the answer to, since some of your customers will certainly raise the same issue. The small problem is that the beads smell very strongly of the chemicals - maybe the type of varnish - used in making the beads. Even though I have left them out to air, they still smell very strong.
Can you suggest a solution to this problem?
BTW, the beads are just gorgeous and the cause is one of the best!
Susan
Hi Susan!
To address your dilemna with regard to the lingering varnish smell on the necklaces...I will say that our necklaces, too, have a faint, lingering smell of the varnish when they first come to us from the ladies in Africa. What we do to help the smell dissapate is we take them out of whatever container the were in, spread them out, and leave them out in the open air. We do not ever put them back in a container of any kind after that; we let them just hang on a hook in the open and so far that has done the trick. I agree, though -- the cause is so awesome that we feel kind of like if someone bought a necklace and maybe even never wore it, it would be the best $15 they ever spent! :)
=Ruth
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