The AfriBeads products are made by a group of 20 women in Kampala, Uganda. The women make the crafts to support their families, providing extra income and the flexible work that they need to care for their families. The women in Kampala run their own enterprise, making their own decisions together as a collective, working with fair trade principles.
Molly
Molly attended sewing school and she is now the main person sewing the fabric products. Several groups of people have visited from Australia and worked alongside the women developing new designs for the overseas market
Resty
Resty is a widow with 5 children and grandchildren, 2 of whom she raised when her son died. She used to sell tomatoes from the doorstep of her house. She now is a talented basket weaver, also making jewelry.
Jane
Jane is married with 5 children. She lives in an outer suburb and she and her husband make bricks. She is also a talented weaver and makes the beach mats.
Allin
Allin has 7 children including 2 sets of twins! Sadly her husband died 5 years ago leaving her to raise the children alone. She is very enterprising and has taught jewellery making and learnt sewing at a local charity. She is very talented and creative and makes beautiful paper bead jewellery.
Racheal
Racheal. “I am a widow with 5 children. Out of 5, only one I have managed to help her to university level. Now she is working with local government. But the rest remain at secondary level education. In AfriBeads Women’s group, I am making necklaces like Makindye design and the rest.” Rachael is one of the founders of the group. She has been active helping manage the group, and is on the committee
Aidah
Aidah has 4 children, 2 older girls, and a younger son and daughter. She is amazingly hard-working looking after the AfriBeads shop each day. She is also a talented jewelry maker and does sewing repairs and alterations at the shop.
Hafswa
Hafswa is the coordinator of AfriBeads. Her mother and father separated when she was young and she lived with her mother until the age of 10. She then moved to stay with her father and step-mother where she helped in the house and looked after the children. She married at a young age. Her motivation and determination helped her get a job, and later co-founded the AfriBeads group to help other mothers in difficult circumstances living in poverty.