Women Empowerment

Kenya

Beads of Hope

Pangea is working with a group of HIV+ women in a town outside of Nairobi, Kenya. This town is situated in a major transport corridor, where an estimated 70% of the town's population is HIV+. Several of these women are trained in beautiful bead work and make beautiful bracelets but lack the markets to support a sustainable business.

With the help of our local Partner, CTC International, Pangea has kick started a small business initiative with a minimal amount of seed money to purchase the necessary raw materials to make the jewelry. By leveraging our access to global markets for their beautiful pieces they can earn fair trade wages for their work.

By introducing the products into new markets, Pangea will increase demand for the Kenyan bead work, and the sale of these items will result in a sustainable business. This synergy will not only affect the women involved today, but other HIV+ women in the community, as today's workers train tomorrow's, building leadership skills alongside self-esteem and a sense of community.

To learn about the women involved and to see the beautiful bracelets, please visit our Women of the World and Marketplace.