bead for LIFE
Mother and daughter eradicate poverty one bead at a time.
They smiled at each other sifting through a huge mound of brightly
colored beads. Sitting cross-legged on the cold tile floor, mother
and daughter, Torkin Wakefield and Devin Hibbard, sorted through
hundreds of styles of necklaces and bracelets, admiring their beautiful
patterns and designs. It was 2004 when this dynamic duo, along with
friend Ginny Jordan, founded Bead for Life. This vibrant non-profit
organization, has grown and lifts families out of poverty. It provides
its three hundred members, mostly Ugandan women, a steady source
of income through entrepreneurial development, business funds, vocational
training for their youth, affordable housing, and health programs.
The women craft the jewelry from re-purposed materials, including
hand-made beads made from recycled paper. They also create jewelry
bags out of sustainable products. The bead sales enable members
to launch their own businesses, often as mother-daughter teams.
“They are heroes in our eyes,” says Torkin, speaking of these women,
who are strong and resilient despite adversity. In North America,
mothers and daughters are also working together by giving bead parties.
Bead forLife, a bridge of energy and resources, turns waste into
beauty, money, and hope.
text by simone smith ~ photography by charles steinberg |
 
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