Pastoralism and bead works are both social and economic activities that the community does effortlessly. In recent years, the community has been able to significantly monetize bead works and the men, who traditionally looked after cattle, have now joined the women in Saccos that help them sell their wares even in international markets.
“Initially we used to sell chang’aa but despite fetching us some income it was a source of conflict in the family. NRT has empowered us through beadWORKS and even if they leave today, we have the skills and shall go on with the trade,” says Ms Lekaria.
BeadWORKS started in 2015 with about 500 women artisans in five commuinitiy conservancies and has grown to over 1,350 women artisans in nine community conservancies in northern Kenya.
As a member of the Samburu tribe, 30-year-old Nalan’gu Lokoloto is expected to remain at her home in Kalama Conservancy—for days and sometimes weeks—while her husband is out tending to the family’s livestock. She has never attended formal school. In 2016, things turned around for her. “I found out people around the world like our beautiful, traditional jewelry, which I learned to make over the years,” said Lokoloto. In the past, Lokoloto and other women in her community often earned money by stripping local trees to make and sell charcoal or by brewing illicit alcohol. These activities are damaging both to the local environment and the community. Kalama, established in 2002 and located in Isiolo County, is one of 35 community conservancies...
BeadWORKS was the first NRT Trading business to be established, and has used the conservancy structure both as a catalyst for women-focused enterprise, and as leverage when approaching investors and business partners. Women are increasingly represented on the conservancy boards, and women’s enterprise groups are now enjoying a new legitimacy, giving them, often for the first time, a voice in their community.
