Thank you to all our online subscribers for taking the time to "join" us for our quarterly e-newsletter. We thank you for all your dedication and commitment to Fair Trade beads. We hope we have inspired you or provided a little bright spot in your day. Be sure to look for our next issue in September 2010.

 Kazuri & Me

From Nancy in Nevada.....
Why I Love Kazuri Beads

My love of colors and patterns began when I was in kindergarten! I loved playing with those wooden blocks that were different shapes and colors. I loved using them to make patterns. Fifty years later, I am still "making patterns," only now I use beads!

I was introduced to Kazuri when my sister bought a bracelet for me during the Brighton Jewelry-Kazuri Water for Africa fund raiser. Immediately after putting the bracelet on, I went to the Kazuri website and saw the beautiful beads offered there. I knew that a "new look" was in the near future for the jewelry I make.

Our church is a lower middle class congregation and we've looked into ways we can each use "what we do" to help raise funds for a new sanctuary. With the help of Kazuri's beautiful beads, I've raised close to $3000 for the Building Fund, as women are attracted to the beauty of the beads and their fun color combinations, and "just can't live without" a Kazuri necklace. It's been a blessing to know that both women in Kenya and in our church have benefited from my "playing with patterns"!

As she held a necklace's pitapat bead, one woman said, "I'm getting chills. The curve of the bead feels like the imprint of the thumb of the woman who made the bead. I have MY thumb in the imprint of the thumb of a woman in Kenya!" I thought that was wonderful.

If you want to share how Kazuri has touched your life, please send your story to the email address listed below in the Contacts section. If your article is published, you will receive a 10-pack of Kazuri beads as a special thanks!

Feature Article
by Beate Dalbec

Little Pieces of Art

In January 2010, I participated in a socially responsible safari guided by Ryan Snider (www.srsafaris.com). The difference between this safari and your average wildlife safari is that we were able to visit schools and businesses that make a difference in the local community. One of these businesses was the Kazuri Bead Factory.

Kazuri means "small and beautiful" in Swahili, and these beads are exactly that. The women working here are provided with training and are very skilled in their craft, and wonderful artists. They are happy and proud to be part of this business. Despite the fact that the production of these beads is very labor intensive, the atmosphere seemed quite cheerful. Every bead is hand made out of local clay, fired, and individually hand painted. Each bead is a little piece of art. The range of design is incredible. All bracelets and necklaces are hand strung with great skill and care. The great variety and beauty of the beads was very evident. It was wonderful to observe the women at their work and talk to them. Everyone in our group could have spent hours here.

Employment opportunities for women (especially single mothers) are extremely limited in Kenya. The Kazuri Bead Factory is very close to Kibera, one of the largest slums in Africa. A lot of the Kazuri women come from Kibera. AIDS is a big problem here, especially in the poor areas. Even quite a few children are affected. If these women did not have this job and the health care that comes with it, their prospects would be rather grim. They are very eager to have a job, hence a long waiting list to work here. It was wonderful to see how Lady Wood's vision has come to make such a big difference in the lives of so many people. So many things we take for granted are a luxury here. And yet, I have never been made to feel more welcome than at Kazuri and any other place I visited in Kenya. Big smiles and friendly faces everywhere!


We at Kazuri thank Beate for taking some beautiful and current photos of the women in the factory at Kazuri. We are so appreciative that she has shared them with us. See Photo Gallery
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