Thank you for always showing us that you care about fair trade and the projects we are working on. On May 28th I was able to go back to Kenya for 2 weeks after almost a year and a half due to COVID. Going to Kenya was such a blessing, especially as they have increased restrictions in many parts of Kenya again with increased curfews, no street markets or gatherings. This is due to an increase of cases in various counties in Kenya. The Kenya Government increased restrictions 2 days after I returned to the US. Read more about my trip here.

We did several things while I was there. We had a fun and exciting photoshoot with the ladies. They modeled the beads they make, and we have started to add them to the website. Check out the Leila, the Hellen and the Akuleau necklaces to see the first uploads of their photos from the shoot! I am so impressed with the new Leila Necklace designs and colors that I was able to bring back.

Some of you already have the one-of-a-kind designs in this necklace and love them!

One of the other things we did was product development for new products. We designed Doggie Bandanas out of beautiful African Fabrics. Gracie, our new family pup modeled for us. She is adorable in our new doggie bandanas! Your dog will look great in one too! Check them out.

Celebrating my birthday in Kenya with the ladies was a surprise and so rewarding. They adorned me with beads and we sang and danced.I also got to ride a Piki Piki which was an adventure list item. People were looking and shouting as I rode by. They don’t see many women riding and my white hair stood out. It was so much fun.

Thank you to all of those who also helped me celebrate by donating to www.basketsandbeadskenya.org for my birthday fundraiser. If you didn’t get a chance to donate and want to, please click the link above and make a donation of any amount. The birthday fundraiser was specifically for school fees and supplies for kids. However, we still have a need for food packs as the new restrictions in Kenya have shut down opportunities for the lades to sell their beads there in the area where they live.

Our space in Fair Trade Long Beach got a major overhaul this past weekend. Check out the photos below. If you are local to Long Beach stop by and check it out. Also join us for the Second Saturday Event in Parkview Village right by the store. There will be many vendors on hand including of course Baskets and Beads Kenya!

We also have a new product for events. Paper bead lanyards for event badges! If you go to events, plan or run events, consider having lanyards made out of paper beads for your events. This will help keep the landfills clear of all the nylon lanyards that people throw away after attending an event. Healthy for the planet and fun for your attendees. They can be customized with your brand colors. E-mail for more details.

People often ask about how this business got started. Many know me for my negotiation expertise and while I still teach and speak on that, working with the ladies in Kenya is my passion and purpose. We had a great Swahili Sunday interview when I was in Kenya with a host of several shows on Imani TV and Radio, our Kenya Director Leila, our Kipsongo Manager Dorcas and me. It was done live from Imani TV in Kenya and you can see the video here.

We have also added new shirts to the inventory both online and in the shop in Long Beach. Check them out here

If you would like to have a private online shopping experience with me just reach out and I will let you have a sneak peek into our exclusive product vault.

Thank you for being the best part of Baskets and Beads! Every day that we have together is a blessing, let's share grace and goodness wherever we go.

Nakupenda,

Eldonna