Monday, December 15, 2008
BeadforLife at High Point University
Sorority sells jewelry to raise money for impoverished women
By Megan Keany
Although their philanthropy is juvenile diabetes, the sisters of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority at High Point University couldn’t resist having a BeadforLife party last spring to sell colorful jewelry and help raise money for impoverished Ugandans.
Many of the sisters were unaware of the organization, but once they heard that hosting a jewelry party could make such a difference in the lives of others, they loved the idea and started planning the event right away.
“I wasn’t sure if I would like jewelry made from paper, but once I saw the colorful beads and learned how much effort was put into making them, they meant a lot more to me,” says sophomore Alpha Gamma Delta member, Bri Tell.
The event was open to the whole university and the jewelry was set up on long tables covered with black cloth to bring out the color of the beads.
Fact sheets on Ugandan women who have been lifted out of poverty were displayed on the tables to alert students about poverty and real women who have been affected by AIDS, violence, hunger, unemployment and more.
“Uganda seems so far away and in my daily life it doesn’t cross my mind that there are people suffering there,” senior Kimmy Freer admits.
An educational video on BeadforLife was set on repeat and the sisters of Alpha Gamma Delta, along with other students socialized and watched the video while looking through and purchasing the jewelry.
“It is incredible to hear about how these women roll the beads and to actually look at them and how carefully they are put together. They are truly very pretty and a work of art,” says Bri.
Alpha Gamma Delta successfully raised over $300 from their party and are planning on having another one this spring semester.
“It was something fun and different to do and I still wear my jewelry all the time,” says Leah Fahey who received a bracelet as a gift from her sister.
Not only was the event fun to host for the members of Alpha Gamma Delta, but they were happy to learn something themselves, spread awareness and create better lives and opportunities for their sisters in Uganda
By Megan Keany
Although their philanthropy is juvenile diabetes, the sisters of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority at High Point University couldn’t resist having a BeadforLife party last spring to sell colorful jewelry and help raise money for impoverished Ugandans.
Many of the sisters were unaware of the organization, but once they heard that hosting a jewelry party could make such a difference in the lives of others, they loved the idea and started planning the event right away.
“I wasn’t sure if I would like jewelry made from paper, but once I saw the colorful beads and learned how much effort was put into making them, they meant a lot more to me,” says sophomore Alpha Gamma Delta member, Bri Tell.
The event was open to the whole university and the jewelry was set up on long tables covered with black cloth to bring out the color of the beads.
Fact sheets on Ugandan women who have been lifted out of poverty were displayed on the tables to alert students about poverty and real women who have been affected by AIDS, violence, hunger, unemployment and more.
“Uganda seems so far away and in my daily life it doesn’t cross my mind that there are people suffering there,” senior Kimmy Freer admits.
An educational video on BeadforLife was set on repeat and the sisters of Alpha Gamma Delta, along with other students socialized and watched the video while looking through and purchasing the jewelry.
“It is incredible to hear about how these women roll the beads and to actually look at them and how carefully they are put together. They are truly very pretty and a work of art,” says Bri.
Alpha Gamma Delta successfully raised over $300 from their party and are planning on having another one this spring semester.
“It was something fun and different to do and I still wear my jewelry all the time,” says Leah Fahey who received a bracelet as a gift from her sister.
Not only was the event fun to host for the members of Alpha Gamma Delta, but they were happy to learn something themselves, spread awareness and create better lives and opportunities for their sisters in Uganda
Bead for Life ( revised)
Ugandan jewelry helps end poverty
By Megan Keany
December 15, 2008
University of Colorado senior, Chelsea Burns, is among tens of thousands of people in North America who have partnered with impoverished Ugandans to help combat extreme poverty.
During her sophomore year of college, Chelsea wanted to be a part of something related to Africa when her professor recommended attending an interest meeting regarding a student group called BeadforLife.
“I went to the interest meeting and right away I knew I wanted to get involved” says Chelsea. She spent the semester learning everything she could about the organization, all the ins and outs of how the non-profit was run, where Uganda is located, and what political and social events were occurring in the country.
Chelsea began hosting bead parties where jewelry made by Ugandan women is sold. The profit made is sent back to BeadforLife which invests the money into community development projects in Uganda. The income generated helps the beaders by providing them with medicine, housing, sustainable life skills and health services and education.
The organization is unique because it strives teach Ugandans how to work their way out of poverty forever. They focus on community development as opposed to other charity associations which help Africans with clothing, food and other necessities, but doesn’t teach them how to rebuild their lives and survive on their own.
“We try to lead with relationship between the beader and the women who buy their beads. There is an element of sharing stories and participating together to create a better world,” says one of the founders of BeadforLife, Torkin Wakefield.
Bead parties are held in homes, churches, schools and at a variety of other venues where guests can purchase BeadforLife jewelry, including, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, as well as loose beads, music CDs and note cards.
There is no cost to the party host and the organization sends everything he or she need to have a fun and successful party including: educational materials, Ugandan recipes, biographies of the beaders, African music CD, pricing, pre-paid return label, gift tags and an inspirational DVD.
“You can feel good, not guilty, about what you buy whether the jewelry is for you or for others as gifts,” says University of Notre Dame student, Erin Murphy who attended her first bead party in 2007 and has been involved with the organization ever since.
Each bead in the piece of BeadforLife jewelry is hand cut, rolled and totally unique. The process of taking a recycled poster or magazine page and making it into a beautiful, glossy piece of jewelry is one that takes time, hard work, attention to detail and a great amount of skill.
BeadforLife began in September of 2004 as a volunteer effort with the goal to support a small group of women in Uganda who were refugees from Northern Uganda’s brutal civil war. Torkin and the other two founders decided their first group would include 90 women. The group included women for the Acholi Quarters who had fled their homeland where rebels burned their villages, abducted children for soldiers or sex slaves, and tortured or killed thousands of adults. Each woman told of terror and brutality, but remained optimistic and determined to survive.
In December of 2004 BeadforLife was mentioned in a small article in O – The Oprah Magazine which generated interest across North America. People, like Chelsea and Erin, were anxious to partner with women in Uganda to help lift their families from poverty.
Chelsea has hosted numerous bead parties and became so involved with the organization that she traveled to Uganda last summer to visit with the workers and learn more about BeadforLife from the other perspective.
“I had seen how the whole administrative process worked on the American end, but it was incredible to see the process from start to finish. I got to meet many of the beaders, hear their personal stories, sit with them in their homes, and even learn how they rolled the beads.”
Since her visit to Uganda, Chelsea has continued to be involved with BeadforLife in Colorado, raising awareness and encouraging others to host parties.
“My experience with BeadforLife in Colorado has been amazing. It's been great to work with so many wonderful people who care a lot about the empowerment of women and poverty eradication” says Chelsea.
“It is neat to see how the profits from one bead party can really change a life” Erin adds.
Chelsea also loves getting people involved in wanting to alleviate poverty around the world and informing them about the political turmoil that has been happening in Northern Uganda for the past 20 years.
The turmoil began in 1971 when Idi Amin seized power over Uganda ruling the country with military force for the next decade. Amin’s rule cost an estimated 300,000 Ugandans’ lives and devastated the economy. Yoweri Musevini is the current president of the African nation and has been in power since 1986. Since Musevini came into office, respect for human rights in Uganda had advanced significantly, but there is still conflict in the country, especially in the North due to opposing military forces. The number of internally displaced persons is estimated at 1.4 million. Torture and attacks on political freedom are still occurring. Because of this, organizations such as BeadforLife have come to aid citizens of Uganda.
Chelsea’s most memorable day from her trip to Uganda was visiting a village that BeadforLife completed for over 70 of the women. “I met around 10 of the beaders and each one invited me into their home, gave me some sort of a beaded present, and wanted to show all they had achieved because of BeadforLife. Not only were they thankful, but they were proud. Each person has their own job that goes into the process of making the beads, and each person's life has become exponentially better since they've joined the team.”
Learning how the organization was making a difference in these women’s lives and seeing the smiles on their faces when they talked about BeadforLife was inspiring to Chelsea to stay committed to the cause.
Her experience with BeadforLife has been incredibly moving. Chelsea’s favorite thing is walking around the University of Colorado campus and being able to say "Hey, nice beads" and knowing she’s made a difference.
Beadforlife hopes to help many more people leave poverty behind. For Torkin, the greatest reward from creating the organization is seeing the enthusiasm, appreciation and hopefulness of the beaders.
She says, “Its fun to gather together with a purpose and have a great product like the beautiful necklaces.” Spreading awareness of poverty and helping others in a fun and meaningful way is what makes BeadforLife so successful and rewarding for everyone.
-30-
By Megan Keany
December 15, 2008
University of Colorado senior, Chelsea Burns, is among tens of thousands of people in North America who have partnered with impoverished Ugandans to help combat extreme poverty.
During her sophomore year of college, Chelsea wanted to be a part of something related to Africa when her professor recommended attending an interest meeting regarding a student group called BeadforLife.
“I went to the interest meeting and right away I knew I wanted to get involved” says Chelsea. She spent the semester learning everything she could about the organization, all the ins and outs of how the non-profit was run, where Uganda is located, and what political and social events were occurring in the country.
Chelsea began hosting bead parties where jewelry made by Ugandan women is sold. The profit made is sent back to BeadforLife which invests the money into community development projects in Uganda. The income generated helps the beaders by providing them with medicine, housing, sustainable life skills and health services and education.
The organization is unique because it strives teach Ugandans how to work their way out of poverty forever. They focus on community development as opposed to other charity associations which help Africans with clothing, food and other necessities, but doesn’t teach them how to rebuild their lives and survive on their own.
“We try to lead with relationship between the beader and the women who buy their beads. There is an element of sharing stories and participating together to create a better world,” says one of the founders of BeadforLife, Torkin Wakefield.
Bead parties are held in homes, churches, schools and at a variety of other venues where guests can purchase BeadforLife jewelry, including, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, as well as loose beads, music CDs and note cards.
There is no cost to the party host and the organization sends everything he or she need to have a fun and successful party including: educational materials, Ugandan recipes, biographies of the beaders, African music CD, pricing, pre-paid return label, gift tags and an inspirational DVD.
“You can feel good, not guilty, about what you buy whether the jewelry is for you or for others as gifts,” says University of Notre Dame student, Erin Murphy who attended her first bead party in 2007 and has been involved with the organization ever since.
Each bead in the piece of BeadforLife jewelry is hand cut, rolled and totally unique. The process of taking a recycled poster or magazine page and making it into a beautiful, glossy piece of jewelry is one that takes time, hard work, attention to detail and a great amount of skill.
BeadforLife began in September of 2004 as a volunteer effort with the goal to support a small group of women in Uganda who were refugees from Northern Uganda’s brutal civil war. Torkin and the other two founders decided their first group would include 90 women. The group included women for the Acholi Quarters who had fled their homeland where rebels burned their villages, abducted children for soldiers or sex slaves, and tortured or killed thousands of adults. Each woman told of terror and brutality, but remained optimistic and determined to survive.
In December of 2004 BeadforLife was mentioned in a small article in O – The Oprah Magazine which generated interest across North America. People, like Chelsea and Erin, were anxious to partner with women in Uganda to help lift their families from poverty.
Chelsea has hosted numerous bead parties and became so involved with the organization that she traveled to Uganda last summer to visit with the workers and learn more about BeadforLife from the other perspective.
“I had seen how the whole administrative process worked on the American end, but it was incredible to see the process from start to finish. I got to meet many of the beaders, hear their personal stories, sit with them in their homes, and even learn how they rolled the beads.”
Since her visit to Uganda, Chelsea has continued to be involved with BeadforLife in Colorado, raising awareness and encouraging others to host parties.
“My experience with BeadforLife in Colorado has been amazing. It's been great to work with so many wonderful people who care a lot about the empowerment of women and poverty eradication” says Chelsea.
“It is neat to see how the profits from one bead party can really change a life” Erin adds.
Chelsea also loves getting people involved in wanting to alleviate poverty around the world and informing them about the political turmoil that has been happening in Northern Uganda for the past 20 years.
The turmoil began in 1971 when Idi Amin seized power over Uganda ruling the country with military force for the next decade. Amin’s rule cost an estimated 300,000 Ugandans’ lives and devastated the economy. Yoweri Musevini is the current president of the African nation and has been in power since 1986. Since Musevini came into office, respect for human rights in Uganda had advanced significantly, but there is still conflict in the country, especially in the North due to opposing military forces. The number of internally displaced persons is estimated at 1.4 million. Torture and attacks on political freedom are still occurring. Because of this, organizations such as BeadforLife have come to aid citizens of Uganda.
Chelsea’s most memorable day from her trip to Uganda was visiting a village that BeadforLife completed for over 70 of the women. “I met around 10 of the beaders and each one invited me into their home, gave me some sort of a beaded present, and wanted to show all they had achieved because of BeadforLife. Not only were they thankful, but they were proud. Each person has their own job that goes into the process of making the beads, and each person's life has become exponentially better since they've joined the team.”
Learning how the organization was making a difference in these women’s lives and seeing the smiles on their faces when they talked about BeadforLife was inspiring to Chelsea to stay committed to the cause.
Her experience with BeadforLife has been incredibly moving. Chelsea’s favorite thing is walking around the University of Colorado campus and being able to say "Hey, nice beads" and knowing she’s made a difference.
Beadforlife hopes to help many more people leave poverty behind. For Torkin, the greatest reward from creating the organization is seeing the enthusiasm, appreciation and hopefulness of the beaders.
She says, “Its fun to gather together with a purpose and have a great product like the beautiful necklaces.” Spreading awareness of poverty and helping others in a fun and meaningful way is what makes BeadforLife so successful and rewarding for everyone.
-30-
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