Helping Uganda - Paper Beaded Necklace Design

In one of my earlier posts, I wrote about "My Gift From Uganda" - a necklace beaded with handmade paper beads from Uganda.  Well, I ordered some of the beads and have beaded my first jewelry design - this necklace pictured here.  I used a combination of red and purple beads accented with a few clear Czech glass crystals and antique silver beads.

I ordered my beads from Outreach Uganda.  This non-profit organization's mission is to help Ugandans, particularly women, overcome poverty by empowering them through education and promotion of self-sufficiency.  There are three beader groups, all run like small businesses and all following fair trade practices.  Each group decides how to allocate their group monies including giving small loans to members within the group.

The organization's online shop offers items such as beads, finished jewelry designs, purses and scarves.  According to their website, money from sales is allocated as follows:

• 40% to the actual beader
• 30% for special products of the beader groups
• 15% shipping
• 15% direct selling costs

The necklace I designed this week is now on sale in my Etsy shop.  I am happy to have helped this worthy organization through purchase of these beads.  When this necklace sells, I will also donate 50% of the sale price to help buy three textbooks for a beader's child.  

Donating is easy.  Several a la carte options are offered in their store ranging from $10 to help buy one textbook for a child, to $250 to buy a small plot of land for a beader to build a home on.

I look forward to designing more unique jewelry designs using these interesting and colorful beads!