Category: Beadforlife

Why I am A BeadforLife Volunteer

by standinlovejen, posted in Beadforlife, Female Entrepreneurship, Passion, Purpose, volunteering

My love and passion for BeadforLife began in the summer of 2009.   I vividly recall the overwhelming emotion swelling inside my heart as I carefully unpacked my first sample collection of beautifully colored, handmade Ugandan jewelry in my first-floor office at local, family owned fine jeweler in Las Vegas, MJ Christensen Diamonds.

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The intense afternoon sun beamed like a laser on the recycled-paper beads the way light strikes the table of a diamond and disperses an extraordinary display of rainbow colors .   Many years came to pass before I understood how this journey would unfold, but I knew one thing for certain: we were destined to be together.

BeadforLife’s mission is to create sustainable opportunities for women to lift their families out of poverty by connecting people worldwide in a circle of exchange that enriches everyone. 

Benefits of BeadforLife.

B.   A breakthrough in finding BALANCE in life.

Serving as a voice for the 1.7 billion people surviving on less than $1.95 a day undoubtedly introduces a more balanced perspective.

E.  The gift of EXPLORATION.

Find hidden talents as you learn to advocate for the eradication of poverty by speaking to community groups, sharing the vision of entrepreneurial freedom, and creating marketplaces for their incredible handmade jewelry.

A.  Go on an ADVENTURE of a lifetime.

As a Community Partner volunteer, every step of the way is an absolute adventure complete with new friendships, new ideas, and new awareness!  Your journey will be unique, and your story unlike any other.

D.  DISCOVER yourself, the women in the programs, and your true potential in life.

F.  It’s FUN and FULFILLING to volunteer and join hands with like-minded changemakers around the world!

O.  Receive and give the gift of OPPORTUNITY.

Not only will you be providing hope and inspiration to deeply impoverished women across the globe living on less than $1.95 a day, you will receive unlimited personal growth opportunities in exchange.

R.  The RECOGNITION that we are all connected as global citizens.

L.  Surround yourself in LOVE.

This is an organization oozing with love.  From the moment I first met co-founder Torkin Wakefield, to the time I spent with her daughter, Devin, on the ground in Uganda, it was apparent:  LOVE fills every space of the work they do.  Love for serving others, love and honest appreciation for the volunteers and Ugandan staff,  love for the bold mission that drives their work everyday.  Love is rolled into each and every bead, and love is rolled into the hearts and minds of the women who are served by the numerous life-changing programs.

I.  Realize the IMPACT your contribution makes.

Friends and family of the generous Las Vegas community have raised nearly $200,000 to date for BeadforLife, directly impacting over 40,000 women and families in Uganda and East Africa.  This brings them closer to reaching their ambitious goal of providing           1 million deeply impoverished women worldwide with entrepreneurial training by 2017 via a 6-month mobile classroom called Street Business School.  

F.  Practice your FAITH, and FACE your FEARS.

Traveling to Uganda as a volunteer communications correspondent was the result of ground-breaking, fear-busting intention!  After grappling with the inherent anxieties of a lengthy overseas journey, coupled with my personal struggle with anxiety disorder, I learned there was no way around it, only through it.  I just had to do it and “do it afraid”.   It took 6 years for me to take that step, and I am so glad I did.

E.  EMBRACE your inner truth.

We cannot deny that to which we feel called.  Are you longing to serve in a particular capacity, using your unique gifts and talents? What would you do? With whom would you like to share these gifts to serve a higher purpose? I invite you to ask yourself these questions and when you discover the initial answers, ask “why?” to each layer and you may just discover a little bit about your inner voice waiting patiently to be released to the world!

Stand In Love,

xo, Jen

Jennifer Miller is a Las Vegas-based dōTERRA Wellness Advocate, Speaker, and Marketing Consultant.  She volunteers as a Community Partner for global nonprofit BeadforLife, whose mission is to provide entrepreneurial training to 1 million impoverished people globally by 2027.   Click here for a listing of upcoming events, or Follow her on instagram or Facebook @standinlovejen .  To host your own BeadforLife fundraiser or dōTERRA Essential Oil party, please email: deboughjl@gmail.com .  

 

Answering the Call of October 17th

by standinlovejen, posted in Beadforlife, Essential Oils, Female Entrepreneurship, Purpose

On the 17th of October 1987, defenders of human and civil rights from every continent gathered on this plaza. They paid homage to the victims of hunger, ignorance and violence. They affirmed their conviction that human misery is not inevitable. They pledged their solidarity with all people who, throughout the world, strive to eradicate extreme poverty. “Wherever men and women are condemned to live in extreme poverty, human rights are violated. To come together to ensure that these rights be respected is our solemn duty.”  – Father Joseph Wresinski

ONE voice matters.

YOUR voice matters.

We all have unique gifts for sharing love and compassion in the world.   As humans, we are wired for connection, and long for a sense of purpose while on the Earth.   We want to matter.  We want to belong.  We long to be part of something larger than ourselves.  What is that mission for you?  What do you want to be part of?  How do you want to make a difference in this life?

Father Joseph Wresinski declared 30 years ago, on the Trocadero Human Rights Plaza in Paris before 100,000 people, that to live in poverty is to be denied basic human rights.  His voice inspired the observance of October 17th around the world, and resulted in the United Nations recognizing this date 5 years later.  Eradicating poverty is now at the helm of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.  

Would you like to help eradicate poverty in our lifetime?  Get involved in one of two ways today!

Host a BeadforLife Marketplace

Want to share the beauty of handmade Ugandan jewelry with your friends and family? This holiday season marks the final chance to order your own Marketplace and raise funds and awareness to end global poverty.  As this international NGO strives ambitiously to lift 1 million people from poverty by 2027, they recognized the importance of re-evaluating their own business model, just as they teach the women in their entrepreneurial training programs.   As a result, their innovative 6-month Street Business School Program is replacing the 18-month Beads to Business model.  They discovered they could reach more women and families at a lower cost per participant teaching the core of the original 18-month model.   This proven and effective program teaches the fundamentals of launching a small business and puts deeply impoverished  women to work faster.

Join dōTERRA’s global community.

dōTERRA, Latin for gift of the Earth, is more than natural health and wellness.  This 2-time Forbes Best Companies award winner wants to help people live lives free of disease and poverty while empowering communities with the tools needed to become self-reliant.

Through the  Healing Hands Foundation, launched in 2012, the company is making unprecedented progress with on-going partnership projects in Bulgaria, Guatemala, Haiti, Kenya, Nepal, Madagascar, and Somaliland.   dōTERRA harnesses nature’s most powerful elements and shares these gifts through a global community of Wellness Advocates.  As a community, we empower people to advocate for their own health, and we contribute to the global mission of helping others live outside of disease, poverty, and dependence.

Want to join me in this deep dive into your life’s purpose? Learn more here.

Sending love to all the heavy and burdened hearts in the world,

Jennifer

P.S.  Bonus video to learn how the oils you use make a difference in the lives of people around the globe!

 

Jennifer Miller is a Las Vegas-based dōTERRA Wellness Advocate, speaker, and marketing consultant.  She volunteers as a  Community Partner for global nonprofit BeadforLife, whose mission is to provide entrepreneurial training to 1 million impoverished people globally by 2027.   Click here for a listing of upcoming events, or Follow her on instagram or Facebook @standinlovejen .  To host your own BeadforLife marketplace or essential oil party this fall, please email:  deboughjl@gmail.com

 

3 Tips for Whole-Hearted Living

by standinlovejen, posted in Beadforlife, Passion, People, Purpose

“The capacity for delight is the gift of paying attention.” – Julia Cameron

Hello friends of StandinLove!  If this is your first visit to the blog, I would like to welcome you!  So glad you popped in!
This is a creative place where people from around the world gather in connection.  It is about People | Ideas | Purpose.    StandinLove represents  3 words and 1 purpose.  The S from Stand is for Serving People.  The I from in is for Inspiring and Inviting Ideas.  The L from Love is Living your Purpose.    How do we SIL?  Connection, Engagement, and Encouragement.   On that note, I am beyond grateful for the group success of this weekend’s Share the Love connection event!

The purpose?  Invite friends new and old into the BeadforLife circle to share our hearts over good old-fashioned cups of hot Ugandan black tea.  The ambience was just right.  The rains descended from a cloudy desert sky, providing a much-needed shower to the dry and dusty landscape.  We filled our cups, and together, imagined we sat alongside the makers of the beautifully rolled recycled paper jewelry that brought us all together Saturday afternoon.   What I appreciated most about this particular small-group gathering is the realization that the women came together not just for the BeadforLife jewelry, but to connect with one another out of a deep desire to be a part of something larger than themselves.  It was beautiful to behold.  We collectively raised over $900 for BeadforLife, which will send 3.28 deeply impoverished women to the Street Business School– a 6 month entrepreneurial training program taught in mobile classroom environments in Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, Somalia, and Kenya!

Sharing thoughts and viewpoints on subjects we currently enjoy, we practiced something friendship expert and author Shasta Nelson refers to as frientimacy.  I offered a few insights from inspiring writers who have influenced my passion for living each day with whole-hearted intention.

What does it mean to live with your whole heart? Let’s discover 3 simple ways we can start connecting with our whole hearts today, in honor of February 13th: Self-Love Day!

Live Passionately.

What makes your heart sing?  What makes it difficult to go to bed at night and makes you jump out of bed first thing in the morning?  Enjoying a favorite variety of coffee?  Spending time with friends and loved ones?   Refurbishing a well-loved piece of furniture? Organizing your ideas for a new business venture?  Checking a life goal off the bucket list?  Creating visions for future opportunities? Overcoming life challenges with bravery and courage? Learning something new? Influencing others with your creativity?

To live passionately is to live life creatively:  To unlock, unblock, and unleash your creative genius.    Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way has been a staple in learning environments around the world.  One of her many tips to rediscovering passion and creativity in your life is enjoying what she refers to as an Artist’s Date.  This solo rendezvous is designed to replenish your creativity bucket as well as connect you to the things you appreciate most in life.  A walk in the park admiring nature, a trip to your favorite shop, or maybe a drive to a remote location to experience peace and tranquility.  Cameron recommends choosing activities involving all the senses to maximize the creative potential.  Intentionally focusing on what you smell, hear, touch, see, and taste feels incredibly invigorating!

Love Compassionately.

Best-selling author Richard Bolles discusses more than just career transitions in            What Color is Your Parachute.   Whether you are embarking on a new career, entering retirement, or in the middle of a life transition, he takes you on a journey of self discovery, helping you identify your unique talents and gifts with the goal of sharing them with people at home, in the workplace, and in the world.   After completing the detailed, self-reflective  7-petal exercise he concludes with this thought-provoking observation, ” The more you ponder the mystery of you, the more you must ponder the mystery of all those you encounter; every loved one, every friend, every acquaintance, every stranger.” 

Incredibly profound if you stop to consider the implications.  The more we come to understand ourselves at our core, the better we will come to understand and appreciate others.   Why? Because if we truly honor and explore our unique preferences and creative talents, we will then create the opportunity to love others more deeply recognizing their specific talents and gifts.   This understanding of ourselves and others leads to increased compassion and allows our hearts to be full.   There is a reason this book has been a best-seller for over 45 years!

Give Generously.

In Rising Strong,  renowned author and shame researcher Brené Brown explores the concept of giving generous assumptions.  She looks at giving in terms of intangibles like forgiveness, empathy, and giving someone the benefit of the doubt.   The theory presumes  people are giving their very best at any given moment.  She says when we give someone the most generous assumption possible, we invite opportunities to connect on a deeper level.   I believe this plays a fundamental role in whole-hearted living, as it creates space for people to be human.  It grants permission to make mistakes.  It allows grace a seat at the table.  Giving generous assumptions about others helps quiet our own nagging, critical voice telling us to be perfect and releases others from expectations we have placed upon them.

When dealing with relational conflict she says, “What is the hypothesis of generosity? What is the most generous assumption you can make about this person’s intentions or what this person said?”

This notion of giving generous assumptions requires a little strength and a lot of courage.  It means we first have accept ourselves, so we understand how to practice with others.   It is difficult to give from a place of lack. When we give generous assumptions to ourselves, we silence the inner voice, we learn to trust ourselves, and we make room in our hearts.  Making room in your heart is a key component of whole-hearted living.  Creating space to love others.

Please share your thoughts in the comments on any of the reading selections, as well offer books you love that explore living and leading with your whole heart.  We all learn from each other in this beautiful circle of exchange!

Have a terrific week, and I look forward to connecting with you all again soon!

StandinLove,  Jennifer

PS.  BeadforLife is 50% off through the month of February.. if you have an idea or an event at which you would like to share BeadforLife, please let me know, and I’ll be happy to support you! 

 

 

 

 

Art in the Park 2016 Welcomes BeadforLife

by standinlovejen, posted in Beadforlife, Connection, Purpose

Yesterday morning I dressed a 10′ x 10′ space with rolls of burlap and displayed hand rolled BeadforLife  recycled paper jewelry in preparation for a juried art festival called  Art in the Park.  This fundraising event, boasting over 350 unique artisans, is hosted in the quaint town of Boulder City,  about a 20 minute drive outside of the town of Las Vegas.   It is the 54th annual and serves as the town’s largest fundraiser for the local hospital, opened in the fall of 1931 during construction of the Hoover Dam. Over the course of 32 years the hospital changed hands of ownership, and endured several closings and re-openings.  In 1963, a group of local women had an idea to raise funds to keep the town hospital running.   What started as a 50 artist fundraiser held in the downtown park area of Boulder City has grown into one of the largest art festivals in the southwest, bringing over 100,000 people to a town whose population is estimated at 15,000.

This will be the 3rd year I have attended as an exhibitor and volunteer for BeadforLife.  As I sit here sipping a coffee in the dark, early hours of the morning, I think about the many Ugandans that travel before sunrise for many hours by foot into Kampala hoping for a day of work.  I think about the story of hope and opportunity that is rolled into each and every bead hanging in my little space that I will proudly and passionately share with as many people as I can today and tomorrow.  I also think about the reality behind the jewelry I sell.  The faces and the families of the women I’ve met, their journeys, hardships, and triumphs rolled into each paper bead.  This is the significance of the BeadforLife journey.  Sharing in that story.  Overcoming the odds of generational poverty by simply receiving an opportunity to change, to interrupt the pattern.

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There is a beautiful connection to the start of Art in the Park, and to BeadforLife.  Both began with a small group of women who saw a need, and decided to do something to change the landscape of the reality they witnessed.   In 2004, three women made a journey through a slum in Kampala, Uganda and returned home with an intention to change and impact one person’s reality. Millie,  the woman in the slum whom they encountered that fateful day, hoped for an opportunity to sell her handmade jewelry in order to provide basic needs for herself and for her family.   I hope to share this story with the folks attending this weekend so they may inspire hope in those with whom they share the jewelry.  Each time BeadforLife jewelry is created, worn, and gifted, the circle of hope expands exponentially.  I am honored to be part of this circle of hope.

 

 

If you live in the area, please come and say hello! I’ll be at my home, space  #310 all day today and tomorrow sharing the story of hope.   If we lived in Uganda, you would be greeted in the most hospitable way, “You are most welcome into my home.  Please, come inside and let us talk.”  When you step foot inside this 10 x 10 foot space, imagine you are entering the home of a typical Ugandan family.   Allow the experience to create a small pattern interrupt in your own life.  Perspective is a beautiful thing.

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Stand in Love,

Jen

 

BeadforLife Impacts Las Vegas Middle Schools

by standinlovejen, posted in Beadforlife, People, Purpose

How did they treat you when you were in Uganda? asked an 11 year old student with an inquisitive mind.   Did they treat you differently because you are a different race? 

What were you most afraid of during your stay?  Did you go there alone?

Why were there no boys or men in the video on extreme poverty?

These are just a sampling of the many questions asked during the 3 presentations given on BeadforLife and extreme poverty at Johnson Junior High, a recently named international academy here in Las Vegas.   Students from 7 different social studies classes were invited to participate in an exciting forum last month to learn about daily life in extreme poverty, in particular, life in Uganda.

Prepped with recycled paper beaded jewelry,  photos of the women in BeadforLife’s programs, statistics on extreme poverty in both Uganda and the U.S., I apprehensively entered a Jr. High auditorium where I would be challenged with the task of building bridges of understanding between these young, developing minds with those who live thousands of miles away in a developing land- one very different from their own.  I had no doubt I would leave at the conclusion of the day feeling I was blessed with an opportunity to learn as well.  I recall distinctly the BeadforLife mantra taught in the Street Business School program that both student and teacher are called, “coach”, suggesting the reciprocity of learning.

Entering the stage of critical thinking is …  well, entering a world of mental capacity expansion.   Allowing the brain to stretch in ways previously unknown.   Pausing to consider another’s perspective for just a moment in time.  Allowing space to contemplate another’s reality, perhaps harsher or just different than your own.    This is the beauty of learning, as once the new information enters the mind, it sets up camp, impatiently calling us to kick it around like a ball in a game of mental hackeysack.

As the 2nd guest speaker these students had ever encountered in a classroom environment, I felt a strong desire to impact them in a way that would challenge their thinking, create a hunger to learn more, and potentially inspire some to embrace their role as global citizens in the world, recognizing their voice and ultimate impact their voice  has on the eradication of extreme poverty.  Tall order for 6th graders you may be thinking… but in actuality, the elasticity of their minds is incredible!

I was so impressed with some of the students’ answers when I asked questions like, ” What impact does being paid a fair trade wage have on people living in extreme poverty?” and “Why do you suppose women and girls were the focus in the brief BeadforLife video we just watched?”   I especially loved hearing their responses when asked to share what looked different in the daily life in Uganda compared to daily life in the USA.    Sugar, they learned, was a luxury not a necessity for living.  As for electricity, only 15% of the country of Uganda has access to it.  Homes, they grappled to comprehend, were a mere 10 ft x 10ft for an average family of 6-8 people, and didn’t include running water for things like brushing teeth or quenching thirst.   We talked about fears, and how everyone has them, they are just different based on geographic and socio-economic positioning.

In efforts to connect the kids to people in extreme poverty, I shared BeadforLife’s belief that no matter where you have been in life, how dire your circumstances past or present, there is a way out.  There exists an opportunity for change in life.  It’s there for the taking, provided initiative and desire are present to seize the opportunity.  Like teachers at Johnson Junior High School to their students, BeadforLife takes a mirror and shines it in the faces of the downtrodden and says, ” I BELIEVE IN YOU!”.

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Students learning about sustainably sourced Shea Butter

It is not enough for people to survive.  Everyone has the right to THRIVE.  The Millennium Development Goals, now called the Sustainable Development Goals seek to end extreme poverty by the year 2030, reminding us that we can see an end to extreme poverty in our lifetime.   This will happen as a result of our youth exercising their influential 1st world voices.

After reading hundreds of thoughtful, hand-written thank you notes from the students the past couple of days, (thank you Mrs. Stice, Mrs. Johnson, and Mrs. Slighting ), I see the spark and potential in the youth of our future.   I see the impact that a little bit of knowledge and understanding can have to make our world a better place, one step at a time.

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A friend of mine shared an interesting article from Outsideonline.com that sited the USDA:

The average family of four trashes 2 million calories a year- worth 1,500$.  As a result, 25% of America’s water is used to produce food never eaten, and an estimated 28% of our planet’s agricultural land used to grow food ends up in the garbage.  Food is the single largest solid waste component of America’s landfills, at an estimated 80 billion pounds- and emissions from it are equivalent to greenhouse gas output of 33 million cars.

Now that is some food for thought.

 

Female Entrepreneur Spotlight

by standinlovejen, posted in Beadforlife, People
Aidah Nannyunju with her feature story
Aidah Nannyunja published in Kampala newspaper!

I first met Aidah Nannyunja on the 15th of July 2015, the morning I arrived in Uganda.  Eager to learn and understand all departments of the BeadforLife organization in Kampala, I enjoyed the day working in the inventory room alongside small group of Ugandan women including Justine, Evelynn, Lillian, Aidah, and Maria-  some, former BeadforLife program graduates.   Recovering from the long journey, I sat peacefully in this open aired room fully absorbing my surroundings.  Colorful recycled paper samples pinned to a cork board on the wall to my left above a wicker stand housing towering stacks of hand-woven palm branch baskets and compartmentalized wood trays holding mini silver BeadforLife logo tags added as the final touch to each piece of jewelry, rendering it ready for international shipment.   A small portable radio played on the long rectangular table around which we sat quietly working, and quietly wondering what each other’s stories would say if they were broadcast over the speaker like the sermons on the radio.   I enjoyed the simplicities of this complex group of women, and sometimes young men- if Joseph and Jimmy had completed their work out front meticulously hand-stamping new burlap fabric  gift bags under a tented canopy in the front lawn of the Kampala residence, turned place of business, located on Mpanga Close Rd, plot 26.

new gift bags
new gift bags stamped by Joseph and Jimmy
color way samples for beads
bead color board inventory room Kampala

Aidah, sitting at the end of the table closest to the sunlight and driveway on the east side of the house worked quietly, but listening, like a young child pretending not to understand an adult conversation while taking in each word and digesting its contents.

It wasn’t until two weeks later that I would have a chance to capture Aidah’s story and personal triumph over the war on poverty.

I had just returned from a full day of travel and field visit in Lwamaggwa with Agnes, my sponsored child with World Vision.  The next morning, as I entered the office, soaked to the core with sweat from my mile and a half trek from Kataza neighborhood carrying my yellow racelite backpack stuffed with notebooks, water bottles, journals, and the essentials for any day out of the house, along with my camera bag strapped cross body, making me feel like a pack mule each time I arrived to work.   Beatrice, a vibrant BeadforLife staff member approached me and greeted me with the customary pleasantries I have grown to appreciate in Uganda.  Looking you in the eyes, taking the time to genuinely ask how you are feeling that day, and offering hugs- one on each side- she enthusiastically announced, ” Jennifer!  I have an exciting story for you to write!!!”.   After unpacking my things and collecting myself for a day to reflect on Agnes’ visit, I stopped in the kitchen to make a cup of Ugandan black tea and seasoned it with a couple shakes of tea masala- a multi spice add-in infusing the tea with the aromas of India.

Beatrice and Evelynn were waiting expectantly for me in the inventory room when I arrived and from behind Beatrice’s back, she pulled out one of Uganda’s daily newspapers titled “Yiiya Ssente”.  Guess who was on the cover?…..   BeadforLife’s very own, Aidah Nannyunja!

The two page feature story detailed the Aidah’s triumph over poverty, and her growing business of inspiring and mobilizing more women in Kampala to believe in their ability to become entrepreneurs!

“I used to sweep the dust in the streets of Kampala, like so many women you see here.  That is where BeadforLife found me the day I joined the 18 month Beads to Business Program.”   Now, through the skills I have acquired, I have a beaded handbag business, a retail clothing shop, and a group of women I mentor!”

Aidah graduated from BeadforLife in August of 2013.  The commemorative group photo framed and hanging on the wall of fame in the corridor of the Kampala office like the Mona Lisa in the Louvre, observed by so many and photographed by appreciative visitors daily.   Aidah remembered the exact date of her first bead sale, December 22, 2011.   She never imagined she would become the chair person of the women’s empowerment group Tukola Balaba featured in that newspaper article.  Founded in the Kawempe District and 50 members strong, Tukola Balaba is thriving and inspiring women with alternatives to generational poverty.

Aidah showing me a sample from her handbag business
Aidah showing me a sample from her handbag business

BeadforLife’s 10 year vision to Ignite One Million women out of poverty by 2027 is incredibly bold, and without question, engaging!    Aidah’s story reinforces the validity of BeadforLife’s work and stands as a testimony of over  40,000 Ugandans served to date by the programs.  Please feel empowered to share this message of hope with your personal spheres of influence.

One size doesn’t fit all.   We are many parts.  We are all one body.  The gifts we have, they are given to share.  May the spirit of love, make us one indeed.  

Try taking a personal challenge this week:  Ask yourself ,”What skills are in my toolbox that I may share to help Ignite One Million?”     Am I connected locally with a non-profit or other group that supports the extreme poor and would like to partner?  Would my faith-based group consider hosting a “Mission Marketplace” this holiday season? http://www.beadforlife.org/faith to create awareness and engagement.

Do I have connections to entrepreneurial groups who would love to support this mission?  Or more simply, ” Do I have the fortitude and will to buy a small bag of loose beads and tell the story to as many people as I can, handing a bead to them in remembrance, until the last loose bead is gone?” http://www.beadforlife.org/shop/uganda-loose-beads.html

Whatever your personal level of challenge allows, accept the invitation to take that step of faith.  Allow yourself to grow, to evolve, to discover your potential for change, just like the women in Uganda.

The Face of Micro Enterprise: Becka Babwairani

by standinlovejen, posted in Beadforlife, volunteering
Becka Babwairani in front of produce stand
Becka Babwairani in front of produce stand

Have you ever wondered what it looks like to have a small business in a developing nation?  Please allow me to introduce you to Becka Babwairani, a 45 year old mother of 5 girls in Uganda.  Her husband left her 3 years ago because she was unable to produce a boy for him.  Left to her own devices to support a growing and needy family, she worked as a digger on a nearby farm.    After attending BeadforLife’s Street Business School training in Bulogo with the Bulogo Women’s Group, Becka learned she had the potential to be one savvy entrepreneur!  Pictured above with her sweet snacking bananas, eggs from chickens she rears, as well as cooking oil she sells for as little as a tablespoons at a time (100-200 UGS about .05$).   Becka started her business selling cooking oil, a Ugandan staple, bit by bit.  Gradually, she reinvested profits to grow and expand her businesses that also include a small retail shop in the front room of her home, where she sells g-nuts (local nut similar to a peanut, used to make a delicious sauce poured over cooked beans)  biscuits, laundry soap, sugar, and other small commodities.   While we were talking, a young boy stopped to buy some bananas and she instructed one of her beautiful daughters to “be sure to put that money in the banana business compartment”.   Becka keeps track of her businesses separately, a result of the bookkeeping training session.  She understands the fundamental business principles of ROI, and is now empowered to monitor the individual successes of her small businesses.   Seated on a simple hand hewn wooden bench with 3 of her girls, Left to right: Lovinsa 18, Sylvia 15, Gloria 7, and her grandson Jeffrey on her lap, she shared with us ripple effect her training is having on her community, in particular her faith community.  According to Becka, she has started a “hunger” for education and business training in her church community, and feels fortunate to be a testimony of change and access to training and opportunity.

“Faith plays a very important role in business,”  shared Becka, ” you do not cheat your business, you must be honest and fair about pricing, and you will reap the benefits.”

It didn’t stop there, Becka later on shared in her story that her goal is to move to the larger town of Nmendwa in order to further expand her businesses.   As the leader in her home, and a leader in her church, Becka seeks to provide the best for her families, modeling a hard work ethic for her 4 girls whom she hopes to keep in school and continue to provide for their school fees- a right reserved for those with income capacity.

I am drawing near the end of Maya Angelou’s autobiography, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings“, and have been contemplating the power of education.   Through her incredibly descriptive account of her life’s hardships, I have been afforded a glimpse into the history of racial discrimination, been exposed to a wealth of rich vocabulary, and have pondered the transformational impacts of educating women.   Each causing me to reflect, research, and mull them over in my relentlessly analytical mind.  Maya, like Becka, displayed a level of determination in life that is driven from within, from a place of deep-rooted injustices caused to her, and makes the choice to overcome.

” Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently”- Maya Angelou

Becka holding grandson Jeffrey, with daughters Lovinsa, Sylvia, and Gloria
Becka holding grandson Jeffrey, with daughters Lovinsa, Sylvia, and Gloria
Becka's small retail shop
Becka’s small retail shop
selling to neighborhood client
selling to neighborhood client

Never underestimate your own or another’s potential.

For more information on how you can help deliver the promise of opportunity to a woman living in extreme poverty in Uganda, please click the link below!

Tomorrow the “Ignite One Million” campaign will go public!

http://vegas.ignite1million.org

http://www.beadforlife.org

Meet Annet Namulondo: Successful Entrepreneur in Uganda

by standinlovejen, posted in Beadforlife, Female Entrepreneurship
Riding into to town to do business.
Riding into to town to do business.

It was our 3rd home visit in Bulogo of the day… the afternoon ripe with the sound of the African sun warming the fields as we pulled up to see Annet outside of her home working with banana leaves while her daughter was under the umbrella- like shade of a banana tree putting the finishing touches on the most beautiful  hand woven palm branch mat.   Freshly picked maize cobs adorned Annet’s front yard- some full of plump butter yellow kernels for roasting, and others stripped of the kernels which lay in a giant pile to the side waiting for the sun to dry them inside and out before being pummeled into flour for market.

Annet is 32 years young, with 4 children ages 16, 14, 10, and 8.  Three are girls, and one boy.   I was struck by the beautiful chartreuse and yellow patterned dress she was wearing, especially the small candle with a flame inside one of the inner circles- the flame glowing and burning bright, like her future thanks to the Street Business School courses she has completed under the protective mango tree in town.

A plastic rosary adorned Annet’s strong neck like a halo of spiritual encouragement.   We squatted on a small ledge outside of her thatched roof kitchen and exchanged probing questions with heartfelt, quiet-voiced replies.   The sort of answers given by someone wholeheartedly believing- and wanting- the listening audience to be larger than the sole interviewer.

Annet, I learned, began her first business with 5,000 Ugandan Schillings. – about 1.50$.  She purchased supplies to weave 3 traditional style mats, which she ended up selling and reinvesting the profits to launch her second business of selling plastic shoes.  Who doesn’t need plastic shoes?  Smart business investment.    She told us that after her business training, she decided to rear goats in the village in order to save up the first 5,000UGS to launch her mat- making business.   Taking one week to weave a mat from start to finish, we were so impressed with her ability to take things one step at a time, and develop her skills one day at time– knowing she would increase her speed and design diversity as time came to pass.

Such an interesting parallel to life- taking things one step at a time, and being involved with people, one person at at time.  As I was jogging the other morning,  I heard  a message reminding me ,

” we cannot fix everyone, or everything, but we can help someone, or something. “

Start small.

Start where you are.

Have you reached the point in life where you are done “making a point”  and would like to “make a difference” ?

“I was feeling a bit lazy, and weak… but now, I am out of my comfort zone, ”  shares Annet when I asked her to share how BeadforLife’s training has helped her in life.

The comfort zone.  Safe place to be, but spiritually impoverished.  If we rest in the places that are only familiar to us, how will we ever grow?  How will we give ourselves an opportunity to evolve and carry out a purpose bigger than ourselves?

I purchased Annet’s green and white checked palm branch mat at the end of our interview, appreciating her hard work and the beauty of the time and dedication represented by each folded branch.   This palm branch mat is like an organic tapestry, telling the story of her former life being folded over, and made bright and new.   I am so excited to have this piece of art to share with others and remind me continually to challenge my personal comfort zone.   For it is in these times of discomfort that our wings are stretched allowing us to fly a bit higher, soar a bit further, and rise a bit taller.

IMG_5702
thanking Annet for allowing me to purchase this beautiful mat.

If you would like to consider taking a small step today and step outside of your comfort zone, visit :  http://vegas.ignite1million.org

” it only takes a spark to light a whole blaze”- lyrics by Unspoken, “Start a Fire”

to be encouraged musically, please listen to these soul-lifting lyrics of Start A Fire! I just LOVE LOVE LOVE this song!!!! It starts with each one of us!

Bulogo’s Banana Business Superstar

by standinlovejen, posted in Beadforlife, People, Purpose

We pulled up the long rural driveway with Julius, our driver, coach Ritah- one of the compassionate and dedicated street business school trainers in Bulogo, and my BeadforLife colleague- coach Phoebe- to our final on-site business visit for the day in Bulogo village, about 45 minutes drive north of Kamuli town. What a wonderful surprise to end the long day of field interviews! Monica Mwesigwa was seated on a small wooden bench outside of her free standing outdoor brick kitchen with a thatched roof,  rolling out carefully prepared and mixed dough for her newly launched and thriving small business selling banana pancakes. These are not the traditional pancakes to which we are accustomed, light and fluffy golden colored cakes topped with melted butter and dripping with maple syrup, but rather a dense sort of croquette– a mixture of locally sourced and hand processed cassava flour, smashed bananas and a pinch of baking soda. Rolled out and cut into small circles with her multi purpose plastic cup and empty recycled glass bottle, she handed them to her daughter – 1 of 6 children ranging in age from 17 to 1 and 1/2 yrs- who was tending the indoor charcoal fire over which rest a pot of boiling hot oil to deep fry these sweet little snacks! As we talked with Monica, age 33, we could just sense her incredible entrepreneurial spirit! Waves of smoke escaped from the small outdoor kitchen, encircling our senses as we snapped photographs and filmed quick feature videos, highlighting her amazing success!

Bulogo Women’s Group.

Monica enrolled in November 2014 with the first class of Bulogo Women’s Group, consisting of 20 members.  Bulogo Women’s Group is one of the first partner organizations to replicate the business training curriculum and mentoring developed and introduced by BeadforLife’s Street Business School program- currently under expansion with the goal of  providing entrepreneurial training for 1 million women living in extreme poverty worldwide.  By December, only a couple short weeks after her first few business building training sessions, Monica had already launched her pancake selling business! She sold 1 chicken at the rate of 11,000 UGS (approx $3.25) to obtain the capital she needed to get her small business off the ground.  Monica shared with us that she used to eat chicken she raised until she learned in one of the trainings  she had the choice and opportunity to sell one instead- giving her financial means to save and invest for a business.

Sparked by these fundamental business lessons, one of which encourages women to “start  small” and understand the temporary nature of their present difficulties, Monica applied herself in earnest.   This takes wholehearted belief and trust, and Monica decided to embrace change and take that risk.  Investing the profits from her pancake business, Monica launched her second business – selling a homemade secret recipe banana juice. She sells these by the 400 or 500 ml cup in town. She shared with us that she earns about 2,500-3,000 UGS profit daily from her juice (approx .75-.80) as well as a profit of 3,000 UGS from her pancake business daily. She is now earning close to $2 a day and is continuing to expand. She has more than doubled her income and her graduation date is set for next month in Bulogo village! Like all entrepreneurs, Monica faces challenges. Currently, she told us she is challenged by lack of access to the specific variety of ripe bananas to meet her growing demand for the juice. Tending to her 6 children in addition to running her businesses proves challenging, but Monica is so passionate and driven we are unequivocally convinced she will have continued success!
I asked Monica what she is most proud of in her business and she replied,

” Now, I am able to afford things I couldn’t before- without the help of my husband- whom she called “boss” with a smile and laughed! …. ” if I would like a piece of meat, I can buy it… If I want to have my hair done or buy a special lotion for myself, I am able to do so and am not depending on my husband.”

As we left her bustling home workshop, we thanked her profusely for her time,  as well as her earnest efforts in English to help us film a short video of her tremendous accomplishments.  What a courageous and brave woman- so incredibly wise for her young 33 years.

I left home early July with a particular definition and understanding of the words  “courage” and “bravery”, and enjoy experiencing the evolution of this definition with each passing day shared with some of the most enterprising, and tenacious women I will have ever met in my life.  I am truly blessed for these encounters and for the lessons they have continued to teach me along this unimaginably profound journey.

xxx

rolling out Cassava flour, bananas, and baking soda to prepare her pancakes for sale.
rolling out Cassava flour, bananas, and baking soda to prepare her pancakes for sale.

Street Business School Insight: A Trip to Mutungo Village. 

by standinlovejen, posted in Beadforlife, People, Purpose

Obwavu Bye Bye!  “Goodbye poverty!” in Luganda.

Over the course of the past two days I have witnessed the heart and soul of BeadforLife’s holistic poverty eradication model here in Uganda.  Yesterday, ” Standard Group” arrived one by one, having traveled great distances on overcrowded roadways to meet the 9:30 am sale start time. At the call of ” circle”… ( drumbeat- dum dum dum dum…) circle…. Da dum , dum dum… Circle!” The women mobilize for a short time of refreshing, and a chance to sing, dance, and clear their minds of all their troubles and worries for just a short while. Babies resting on hand woven mats in the humid equatorial sun, while their mommas experience an uplifting and engaging social group activity. Each of the 35 women belonging to Standard Group has a unique and captivating story to tell. While time didn’t permit me to speak with them all, their smiles and expressions told so much. The truth is easy to find in the gaze of one’s eyes. I’ve come to appreciate this silent communication.

I liken BeadforLife’s role in the communities to that of a shepherd, gathering the flock who have gone astray, left behind, and in need of guidance and leadership backed by love and genuine concern. Each group of women are hand selected to participate in the 18 month Beads to Business program or the shorter- condensed 6 month Street Business School program.

Today I visited the village of Mutungo- transport to which required a ride in a matatu as well as a Boda Boda in the interior of the village. Today’s session lead by 3 of BeadforLife’s entrepreneurial training staff ( Rachael, Clare, and Joanita) took place inside of the local church. I peeked into the boarded up space with simple roof and saw rows and rows of plastic white chairs, and one easel at the front of the class. On the wall hung three tear sheets reviewing yesterday’s lesson on the 4 P’s – in addition to the notes from session #1. Women arrived with supplies in hand, babies on their hips, and hope in their hearts! In the customary manner, we formed a circle and moved around singing and dancing like school children. I took my seat next to coach Clare, located at the front left side of the classroom, who acted as my Luganda- English translator and immediately started taking detailed notes. This highly customized and researched curriculum is based on core components which serve to engage, empower, and substantially improve the economic independence of these women holding no more than a 5th grade education.

On average, Street Business School members earn less than $0.60 per day and many earn 1/2 of that. This means they are unable to afford school fees for their children, they may not understand the rights to land ownership, nor are they aware of how they deserve to be treated as accepted members of the community.

Beatrice is one of these women. Both Beatrice and her 17 year old daughter Maureen attended today’s session with hopes of transformation. Maureen sat in the front row, so eager to learn and write down each and every word from the trainer’s mouth. Maureen, you see,  stopped going to school at the age of 12-13 at the conclusion of primary school. In order to continue to secondary school, fees are required for supplies and exams- fees her widowed mother of 15 years, Beatrice, could not afford. Having merely a primary school education herself, Beatrice makes her living selling raw sugar cane stalks to local children. Once a week, she walks about an hour to collect over 23kilograms of raw stalks and transports it on the top of her head all the way back to her village. She nets approximately 1,000 Ugandan schillings a week profit- or about $0.29 – a WEEK.

Following the training, I was invited into Beatrice’s home, along with her daughter Maureen and we talked about her dreams for her new business and how she could realize the potential inside of her. Reminded by the training earlier that day, she scanned through ideas while Joanita patiently and so precisely translated for me. We all giggled in this 10 x10 sq foot home with only a thin sheet hung as a front door. Naturally, we purchased a sugar cane stick from her and I sampled what I like to refer to as a “Ugandan lollipop”! Biting down on the coarse, fibrous stalk – you have to slurp out the little bit of sugary sweet liquid that is extracted when squeezed.
Maureen sat closely to me on the couch, her head curled up snugly on my left shoulder the entire visit. By the end of our visit, a crowd of neighbors and village children arrived at the front door peering in to see what all the commotion was! We were praising God and praying for blessings to come to Mutungo village. Laughing heartily, we moved outside of the dark, cooler interior of her home and outside into the bright sunshine.

Two doors down, we were invited into Rose’s home- a much smaller, less structured little home built of timber. Squatting down to enter her tiny front door, my eyes were greeted by two small beds, a dirt floor covered in blankets, and a small sitting chair. Rose has 4 children, and they all live with her in this space. Mosquito nets hung from the low tin roof, and we took a seat and listened as she shared her business with us. Unlike Beatrice, Rose has a steady stream of income selling cold sodas and waters in public gathering places such as matatu stops. I noticed in the corner of one of the beds, a heaping pile of belongings behind a sheet draped 1/2 way from the rear- forming a little partition. This was the extent of her belongings- her children’s few pieces of torn and tattered clothing, a cleaning rag or two, and a water can. Rose walks to fetch clean water. Her youngest daughter named JenRose- thin as a rail- introduced herself to me in English and caused the entire room to roar in laughter! In hysterics laughing, they were so impressed with her courage and inhibition. I am sure this moment created memories we will all cherish for a lifetime.
BeadforLife is the shepherd.

Destitute, down trodden women the sheep.
As this day draws to an end, I am reminded of the message in this week’s church bulletin on Faith, Hope, and Love.

       ” Those who know they don’t know it all, find it easy to believe. People who can’t control tomorrow find it easy to hope. People who have nothing to give but themselves, find it easy to love.”

This last sentence helped me understand why Maureen nestled so closely to me during our home visit. Love is what she has to offer to me, and how sweet the feeling!
To engage and help ignite 1 million women out of poverty through entrepreneurial training and mentoring, please prayerfully consider a donation by clicking here:  vegas.ignite1million.org

Love and blessings to you all!