Impact
USD 380,000
earned by women beaders (2010 - 2019) who granted
USD 50,000
in conservation contributions to their conservancies
participating
in BeadWORKS
in 2019
2,500 members of community
conservancies receiving regular medical care
3,500 more children now attending school
earning not herding. Education now resulting in smaller
families thus reduced pressure on resources
7,800 family members
indirectly impacted
Highly endagered
Grevy’s zebra
have access to better grazing
1,000 more elephants
in nothern Kenya
since 2012
34% reduction in charcoal
making in community conservancies since 2012
10,000 USD saved in community bank as opposed to buying more livestock
Women empowerment
gives them a voice in family and community decision making.
“You feel very good when you
do a nice piece and you get your
money. It feels very nice. So, we kept
doing it until now we are really at a
different level. We feel like employed people.
You know you have an income when you can
confidently do your own thing. We have come
to a level where we can confidently take loans
because we are sure we can pay with our
BeadWORKS income. And now we can confidently
pay for other things like school fees
or opening a kiosk.”
Ngesinoi Leinte , Star Beader, Melako
Conservancy, Rendille people
How It Works
BeadWORKS helps women earn respect and influence in their communities by contributing 5% of annual revenue directly to community Conservancies. This provides money for communities to send more children to school, pay for infrastructure such as clean water, and to promote peace and security.
Wildlife
BeadWORKS not only empowers women, but it is helping to diversify family income in rural areas – income that would otherwise come from livestock rearing, charcoal burning and other unsustainable means. Many of our artisans are former charcoal sellers – an industry that is devastating the last remaining forested areas of northern Kenya.
The 33 community conservancies in the NRT family cover 44,000 square kilometres of northern Kenya. These conservancies form a patchwork of protected areas that incorporate ocean, mountain, desert, forest and grassland habitats. Each habitat supports a breathtaking range of biodiversity - from the most iconic African mammals like rhino, elephant and lion to the lesser known birds, reptiles and marine life.
The last 30 years have seen significant declines in wildlife across Kenya due to habitat loss, illegal poaching and competition with livestock. The ivory trade continues to threaten the future of elephants all over Africa, but this is where the conservancies have had great success.
Between 2012 and 2015, there was a 53% decline in the proportion of illegally killed elephants in community conservancies.