Baskets & Beads by Artisans of Kenya - Baskets & Beads by Artisans of Kenya

Empowering Women, Saving Children

A hand up, not a hand out. Creating self-supporting families through entrepreneurship, one woman at a time.

KIPSONGO SLUM

Meet the Ladies...

Click on the video to meet the ladies of Kipsongo. These ladies live in harsh conditions and manage to enjoy their lives and take care of their families, no matter what. The soundtrack on the video is the ladies singing joyfully.

KITALE, KENYA

How it All Began...

The Baskets & Beads project was started by Eldonna Lewis Fernandez when she went on a mission trip to Kitale, Kenya in February 2018 and met the ladies of the Kipsongo slum.

The buildings in the slum are mud huts — smaller than a tiny house — and sleep up to 15 people. Most children are malnourished. School enrollment and literacy rates are very low, and adequate healthcare and economic opportunity is severely lacking.

Paper Beads Handcrafted from Magazines

These beads are one of the primary products the ladies produce. They are made from paper and known in Kenya as "paper beads." The ladies cut the paper into strips, roll the strips into beads, and then make them into a necklace.

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STARTING A BUSINESS!

Creative Entrepreneurs in Kenya

Through micro-loan programs, the ladies have started businesses making and selling jewelry, baskets, and other products. Eldonna had the idea to sell the items with her books when she speaks at events and organizations. 100% of the proceeds goes back to the project and the ladies in Kenya!

Your donations and purchases help these women have honor by building a viable business and enables them to feed their families and send their children to school.

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