Bead For Life

My Mother, Ella, is wonderful. She is the matriarch of The FamiLee jewels and her industrious lifestyle and ethical behavior are an inspiration to the rest of us. Nana, as she is known to her grandchildren and great grandchildren, enjoys making jewelry as much as the rest of us. One of her recent additions to our FamiLee jewelry store is a beribboned green box full of colorful bracelets made from paper beads. Not just any paper beads but beads made by women in Uganda that bead to support their family's and their communities.
Bead for Life is an entrepreneurial organization started in that country in an effort to provide income to the region.
The Bead for Life Mission Statement: Bead For Life creates sustainable opportunities for women to lift their family's out of extreme poverty by connecting people worldwide in a circle of exchange that enriches everyone.
Since 2004 Bead for Life has trained 660 beaders in a cottage industry that supports the community. The money raised from the sale of the beads and jewelry has assisted beaders to build 106 houses, a community building and 2 wells. 150 members of Bead for Life have become economically self sufficient.
Nana is an independent woman. A feminist before it was fashionable or even socially acceptable to be so. She raised 4 children nearly single handedly and struggled to work full time and go to school while doing so. She understands the difficulties of providing for your family and has respect and admiration for women that have found a way to accomplish that goal despite deplorable living conditions.
We informed many people about Bead for Life at our most recent show and by the end of the day the green box with it's satin ribbon was empty.
Bead for Life beaders we are telling your story, and your supporters are a growing legion. The week after our show a young woman stopped me and asked for Bead for Life's contact information, so that she can buy beads of her own. She has decided to use them to make rosary's for her church.
Bead for Life we applaud you for:
Eradicating poverty one bead at a time.