Just this past week I found myself stressed out over the women’s jewelry project I’m involved in. I was racking my brain on how to make the program a success and how to get enough money while I’m home to purchase the final bit of jewelry when I return. To be honest it didn’t dawn on my to give it to God or pray about it. Not only did I waste an enormous amount of time and energy stressing out, I acted extremely foolishly. However, because we serve a God that has everything under His control, all has been taken care of and I have been reminded of how God cares about all I do.
Over the past year I’ve had the amazing privilege to work with a ministry and church on developing a jewelry/business project for a group of 15 women. The area, Kasokoso, is extremely impoverished and there is very little opportunity in the community for people, especially women, to get work. We (myself with church leaders) have created an empowerment project that we believe will both help the women create their own business to help earn money to provide for their family and also give these women a sense of dignity and hope in using their talents and abilities to work.
We started in March and since then the women have been making jewelry to be sold in the US, meeting together for fellowship with church leaders and attending a few basic business/savings trainings. The money that each woman makes from the jewelry goes toward two things: 1) daily living expenses, and 2) some is put aside in a savings to be used at the end of the program as capital for her business. We don’t believe in giving money to the women to start their business so under this program they are earning the capital needed by making jewelry.
While we could disregard the savings and business part of the program and only have the women make jewelry to be sold in the US, it would not meet our goal of sustainability. Paper bead jewelry that is being bought by Americans and sold in America is not sustainable. The minute America or the American is removed from the equation the women’s business would be over. In addition, these women have dreams of doing other work but need capital and training before they are ready.
And here’s the deal: help is needed. First and foremost prayer is needed. Please pray that these women would fully understand how God has blessed each of them with gifts and abilities.Please pray that they would come together as a church and that all they do would bless their families and others in the community. Please pray that they would be focused and serious on the work necessary to start up the business; that they would have perseverance and determination.
Secondly, help is needed to sell the jewelry. I am home for another month and would like to sell enough jewelry to have the money needed to purchase the last bit of jewelry before we end the program. I have spent about $400 a month and have committed to another 4 months or $1600. At that point we believe the women will have enough in their savings for the capital needed to start their businesses.
The jewelry is all hand-made by the women. Each bead is hand-rolled pieces of paper dipped in varnish. Because it is all hand-made, each bracelet, necklace and set of earrings is different, no two pieces being the same. The women make several styles of necklaces, bracelets and earrings.
On average the women make $1.50 per piece and the church makes $.50. While this may not seem like very much, it is significantly more than the women would make if they sold their jewelry at the local markets. The craft markets here are extremely over-saturated with this jewelry and women only make around $.40 - $.70 per piece.
We approximate that each woman will need between $100 - $200 to start her business (15 women times $150 equals a lot of jewelry!!)
I ask that you would consider helping sell this jewelry. There are many avenues such as:
§ At bible studies
§ School fairs
§ Set up a stand during a baby shower, wedding shower or party
§ Throw a party to sell the jewelry
§ Craft fairs
§ Local farmers’ markets
§ Co-workers/lunch room at work
As I first mentioned, I was stressed out a bit this week thinking about how I would sell enough jewelry to buy what is need when I get back. Well, on Wednesday I went to a small boutique where my mom had dropped off a few pieces to sell. I went to pick up money and drop off a bit more jewelry. I wasn’t expecting to collect much money (trying to manage my expectations) but as the manager was adding up the amount sold it kept going up – all the way to $696! When this boutique first offered to sell the jewelry they were going to give us half of what they made but after a few weeks they decided to give all the money back! And I was worrying for nothing. I was reminded in that moment how God is continuing to take care of me.
