NRT Trading beadWORKS Production Lead Beatrice Namunyak Lempaira says over 70,000 items were sold in domestic and international markets in 2017, fetching more than Sh24 million from which the women made Sh6 million. In 2016 they made Sh29 million from sales of the jewellery and paid women Sh7 million.
“I coordinate women in four counties to enable them take advantage of the market,” Ms Lempaira says. NRT Trading sells the jewellery to clients in the US and Australia. Part of the proceeds is used to support conservation efforts. It is hard to imagine how happy these women are yet their husbands have no meaningful employment and spend days in the wild herding cattle.