Neighbor News
Bead for Life Fundraiser
The Seaman's Church Institute, 18 Market Square, Newport, RI will sponsor a Bead for Life Party on Thursday, December 11, 2014 from 6-8 pm.
The event is an exciting opportunity to learn more about and support impoverished Ugandan women who are lifting their families out of poverty with their handmade, high-quality beaded jewelry, featured on NBC Nightly News, in O Magazine, Vanity Fair, Family Circle and other publications. For those who have bought beads before, there are now new jewelry designs and two new BFL products~ Shea Butter soap and organic Shea Butter lip balm!
The event will feature an informational video and African music, says Meghan Dutton. Anyone that attends the fundraiser will have an opportunity to write a letter that will be sent to the women beaders.
Bead for Life is a socially responsible global organization, working with women, all of whom were living on less than $1 a day in extreme poverty. Like extremely poor people worldwide our members have experienced many sorrows and difficulties. Yet they remain strong, resilient, and hopeful for a better life. Based in North America and Uganda, BFL has partnered with industrious women who make vivid beaded jewelry out of recycled paper. The 300 members of BFL support almost 5,000 others to climb out of poverty.
“Bead for Life’s philosophy is that people want jobs rather than handouts. We focus on ways for people to leave poverty behind forever,” says BFL Co- Director Devin Hibbard. “The beaders are incredibly hardworking, and every dollar they make goes into critical things, like sending children to school, paying for health care, and saving to build a home.”
The beaders’ work has been sold at thousands of home parties and businesses and community-sponsored events around the world. All net profits from BFL sales are invested in projects that fight extreme poverty, primarily in three key areas: health, affordable housing, and vocational training for impoverished youth, and entrepreneurial development through micro credit for small businesses. For more information contact Meghan Dutton, Bead for Life Community Partner, 401-662-6640.
For additional information on BeadforLife: www.beadforlife.org.