Our Partners
All of our jewelry is handmade by a small group of Ugandan women. Each of them is now pursuing dreams that were long thwarted by war and poverty. We’re glad to introduce you to each of them and their dreams below.
Christine
Not only does Christine manage the whole jewelry production process, she also makes jewelry herself, is a leader in the local government, raises five children, and insists on making us lunch when we’re in Acholi Quarters.
She is one of the hardest working people we’ve met on any continent and we owe her a great deal of gratitude.
Christine’s Dreams
- To see her children graduate from university
- To buy a car (a rare feat for Acholi women)
- To start her own business
Gladies
Gladies is a linchpin of our business, helping to keep quality standards outstanding. She’s even earned the nickname “Special Teams” among our American team because she can help make anything happen.
Gladies’ Dreams
- To see her children graduate from university
- To build a home back in the village she fled during the war
- To buy a bus and start a transportation business
Doreen
Doreen is one of our most responsible partners. You will commonly find her at the door before meetings, admonishing her fellow women to show up on time. She also helps coordinate one of their group savings programs.
Doreen’s Dreams
- To build a home back in the village she fled during the war
- To buy livestock for farming
- To start her own business
Alice
Alice is a quiet and consistent member of our partner cooperative. She focuses on making quality jewelry and taking care of her family. Though we get the feeling that she has some spunk outside of work.
Alice’s Dreams
- To build a home back in the village she fled during the war
- To see her children graduate from university
- To buy oxen for farming and to rent to other farmers
Lucy
Lucy is a bright, friendly young woman whose shy yet bubbly personality makes her a delight to work with. She works hard and aims to please, but has a sly streak as well: sometimes she and her twin sister play tricks on people.
Lucy’s Dreams
- To build a home back in the village she fled during the war
- To educate her children and her nieces and nephews
- To buy oxen for farming and to rent to other farmers
Scovia
First over all, this girl can smile. Look at those teeth! Scovia has been with us since the beginning, and has been a consistent source of joy and entertainment.
Scovia’s Dreams
- To build a home back in the village she fled during the war
- To buy oxen for farming and to rent to other farmers
- To see her children graduate from university
Agnes
Agnes has a natural gift for making jewelry and she has a great eye for fashion. She is usually the first to pick up new designs and she’s sought our by the other women to teach the more complicated pieces. We’ve thought in the past about creating a limited edition Agnes line of jewelry. Keep your eyes pealed.
Agnes’s Dreams
- To build a home back in the village she fled during the war
- To finish her secondary education and see her children graduate from university
- To buy oxen for farming and to rent to other farmers
Grace
As you can see from her photo, Grace is fun to have around. She has a great sense of humor and works very hard to take care of her family. Last year she had her third child and told us that it’s the first time she’s given birth without fear, because she knew she would be able to care for the baby.
Grace’s Dreams
- To build a home back in the village she fled during the war
- To see her children graduate from university
- To buy oxen for farming and to rent to other farmers
Paska
Paska has been with us since the beginning and has always been a quiet, committed member of the jewelry making team. Last year she had a baby girl and named her after the designer we collaborate with: Emily.
Paska’s Dreams
- To see her children graduate from university
- To build a home back in the village she fled during the war
- To buy oxen for farming and to rent to other farmers
Stella
Stella, one of our younger partners, is in her mid-twenties but possesses a level of responsibility that bodes well for her future. She and her husband seem to work very well together raising their family and planning for the future. And their little daughter is one of the cuter things happening in the world today.
Stella’s Dreams
- To build a home back in the village she fled during the war
- To start her own business
- To see her children graduate from university
Alice
Although she’s one of our newer partners, Alice was quickly invited to join the quality control team because of her obvious talent and commitment for making great jewelry. We are lucky to have her on the team.
Alice’s Dreams
- To see her children graduate from university
- To build a house back in the village she fled during the war
- To buy oxen for farming and to rent to other farmers
Nighty
Nighty is one of the most cheerful people you could hope to meet. And not without reason. She and her husband are models of marital partnership, working closely together to create a successful future for their family.
Nighty’s Dreams
- To see her children graduate from university
- To build a house back in the village she fled during the war
- To start business in her home village
Yolanda
Yolanda partnered with us when we first started, and we have been on the winning end of that deal ever since. She is a talented jewelry maker and a committed member of our partner cooperative.
Yolanda’s Dreams
- To start her own business
- To build a home back in the village she fled during the war
- To see her children graduate from university
Rose
Rose is a relatively recent addition to the jewelry making team and has been a joy to have as a partner. You can tell when she’s working hard because she puts on a pair of old glasses and goes laser focus on her jewelry.
Rose’s Dreams
- To see her children graduate from univerty
- To build a home back in the village she fled during the war
- To start her own business in Uganda’s capital city
Esther
We could never say enough about Esther. Between the jokes and the nicknames, the leadership and the pursuit of excellence, Esther is an absolute blessing to our partnership. In many ways she exemplifies the sort of relationship we’d like to have with each of our partners.
Esther’s Dreams
- To see her children graduate from university (at least one is already attending!)
- To build a home back in the village she fled during the war (she’s already laying the foundation!)
- To buy a car
Anna
Anna is one of our most recent partner additions, and when she first joined us she was rather shy and timid. Well no longer! Anna is a leading voice in the co-op, sharing her often humorous thoughts with abandon. We’re so glad to know her and call her a partner.
Anna’s Dreams
- To see her children graduate from university
- To build a home back in the village she fled during the war
- To buy a car for her children
Margaret
When Margaret first partnered with us she seemed skeptical as to whether our work together would really be a long-term benefit. But these days, having seen the tremendous impact available to her, she is one of our most committed partners, working very hard to keep her jewelry-making skills in top form.
Margaret’s Dreams
- To build a house back in the village she fled during the war
- To see her children graduate from university
- To start her own business
Camila
Camila is a wonderful partner. She is quietly dedicated to doing great work and she has a strong presence that sets an example for the rest of the group. Working with her you get the feeling that she has big plans and will have little trouble accomplishing them.
Camila’s Dreams
- To build a house back in the village she fled during the war
- To see her children graduate from university
- To buy oxen for farming
Christine
Christine is one of our newest partners, and is an absolute pleasure to work with. We’re looking forward to seeing her blossom over time as a member of our partner co-op, and we are confident that she is going to take full advantage of this great opportunity.
Christine’s Dreams
- To build a home back in the village she fled during the war
- To see her children graduate from university
- To invest in permanent assets like land and livestock for the future
Nighty
Nighty overcame a number of obstacles to join us as a partner, and we are so happy she did. She’s talented, committed, and though often quiet, we believe she will be a leader in the co-op for years to come.
Nighty’s Dreams
- To start her own business
- To build a home back in the village she fled during the war
- To see her children graduate from university
Alice
Alice is a fireball, and we love her for it. She’s independent, opinionated, and talkative, and a great addition to our partnership. In a culture where most hesitate to speak openly, especially to those they consider in positions of authority, Alice is a wonderfully honest and often blunt voice for herself and her fellow partners.
Alice’s Dreams
- To build a home back in the village she fled during the war
- To see her children graduate from university
- To start her own business
Grace
Grace is a quiet, hardworking member of our partner co-op. She is as dependable as they come, and is part of the solid foundation that makes our partnership possible. Without women like Grace we couldn’t do what we do.
Grace’s Dreams
- To build a home back in the village she fled during the war
- To see her children graduate from university
- To start her own business
Biola
To understand Biola you need walk into Acholi Quarters, see her break out in huge smile, run to give you a big hug, and then do a few energetic steps to a traditional Acholi celebratory dance. And you need to watch her lead the rest of the women in the full version of one of those dances, transcending her age to out-dance anyone else in the room. Outside of that, she’s indescribable, and we are just lucky to have her in our world.
Biola’s Dreams
- To build a home back in the village she fled during the war
- To buy oxen for farming and for renting to other farmers
- To see her children and grandchildren graduate from university
Esther
Esther is a recent addition to our partnership, and is one of the quieter, more reserved members of the group. Nonetheless she’s known for an easy smile and a friendly demeanor, and we’re very happy to call her a partner.
Esther’s Dreams
- To see her children graduate from university
- To build a home back in the village she fled during the war
- To buy oxen for farming
Jackie
Jackie is one of our youngest partners, and the only one without kids of her own yet. This has allowed her to focus on her dreams from the beginning, and she has already put herself through hair dressing school! She’s very bright and talented and a pleasure to work with.
Jackie’s Dreams
- To build a home back in the village she fled during the war
- To start her own hair salon
- To continue her own education and to support her siblings and their children in education
Josephine
Josephine is a very talented, very independent woman. She is one of our best jewelry makers, but doesn’t always want to go with the flow of the group. Nonetheless, we’re lucky to have her. And she’s lucky to have the group–recently when she fell sick, the group pooled money to help her with hospital bills.
Josephine’s Dreams
- To buy oxen for farming and for renting out to other farmers
- To see her children graduate from university
- To build a home back in the village she fled during the war
Hellen
Hellen joined the group when one of our former partners moved back to her home village. We were in the middle of training the women in new designs and she sat down and made the most difficult of the new designs perfectly on the first try. We were sold. Since then her commitment to quality work has only grown and she is becoming an integral part of our partner co-op.
Hellen’s Dreams
- To build a home back in the village she fled during the war
- To start her own business
- To see her children graduate from university
