"Over 10,000 Women Thrive in Beadwork Through Ushanga Kenya Initiative"

 

By Ian Rop.

Since it’s inception in 2017, with the aim of transforming living standards in commercializing beadwork business for the pastoralist women, Ushanga Kenya initiative has made great impact to women in beadwork business across Nine Counties, through capacity building, modernizing production and training’s on entrepreneurial skills, the Initiative also strides on adding value to the raw traditional talent. 

The Initiative spearheaded the creation of more than one hundred cooperative societies that has since given the women advantage in accessing broader market, business sustainability, cheap credit to start and expand businesses and access cheap loans from government to help them navigate through the changing market trends.

 Beadwork was mainly viewed as a remote area business but the launch of digital marketing platform, proved to be a game changer. The platform, opened opportunities not only to those in towns but also those from the remotest villages hence instilling them with modern beadwork techniques and styles while connecting and showcasing their art to the global online market. In showcasing different beadwork from each county, digital platform has also boosted tourism hence profiting the women direct and their respective counties indirectly through revenue collection.

 Ushanga Kenya Initiative has recorded immense success stories. Opening the International market through participation of some of the women in trade fair exhibition in Dubai, greatly impacted the business by bringing more women on board. The beadwork, have also been sold and shipped to as far as United States of America, United Kingdom, Germany and France, bring more money to beaders and revenue to government.

  “Creating beautiful products, the women narrate love, resilience, cultural pride and economic transformation. The benefits they get from selling their products locally and Internationally, has hugely turned around economic stability in communities around them and I'm urging government through BETA, to put in more resources and bring on board government and non governmental organization to partner with us bring more women into beadwork business thus creating jobs and putting more money into their pockets” Dorothy Mashipei, C.E.O Ushanga Kenya Initiative.

The government has also recorded reduction of FGM practice since creation of the Initiative and this has increased more girls access education in pastoral communities that exercised the outlawed vice. 

  “Ushanga Kenya honor and preserve culture but holds over practices that don’t add value to our lives. We are currently supporting other initiatives to get rid of such in our communities. By producing, marketing and selling beadwork globally, we are showing the world that we are on top rather than the perennial perceived backwardness” Hellen Ngaiserry, Chairperon Ushanga Kenya Initiative.

 The height of this success, came in June during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. Through Ushanga Initiative, five women cooperatives partnered with Olympics Kenya to adorn Team Kenya with handmade accessories that had a fusion of tradition and modernity. Apart from directly impacting these women economically, Team Kenya inspired the world with eye catching Lady’s bracelets, neck pieces, head gears and Men accessories during the Parade of Nations. Some of World beating Olympic champions from different countries were spotted donning Kenyan flag coloured bracelets on tracks competing for medals and the streets of Paris.

 Bringing in more women into beadwork business not only diversify their economic income but also expands government’s revenue streams from the export of these products. The challenge now is upon National and County governments to put in policies that recognize, support and makes beadwork business part of traditionally known revenue streams in Kenya.

February 06, 2025