Suubi Necklaces
The Suubi (hope) project was launched in 2007 while the Hansow family was living in Jinja, Uganda for the adoption of their daughter. At the orphanage, they met Anaso Grace and Adong Santa selling paper-beaded necklaces. And after they visited the original 60+ women who met each Sunday to bead together under a jackfruit tree in the village of Walukuba, Suubi was birthed – merely a response to a talent and a need.
Suubi (the Lugandan word for HOPE) is a project run by the non-profit organization Light Gives Heat. Suubi is the name of the self-governing community-based organization of beautiful women that make the jewelry, as well as the product name here in the West.
HOPE is the essence of the Suubi (hope) project and our vision is two-fold:
1) The Suubi (hope) project is about creating consistent weekly incomes in otherwise unemployable areas in Uganda through the purchasing and reselling of these hand-make necklaces. Thus, allowing for women to provide food and pay school fees for their children.
2) In Uganda, we have been shown a HOPE that doesn’t make sense and has changed everything. Therefore, we simply want to spread HOPE – sharing the stories of these amazing women and getting people across the world to look outside of themselves and respond creatively.
What we do…
In addition to buying each week (and tripling their usual profit), the Light Gives Heat volunteers also run weekly Literacy and English classes for the women of Suubi and simply spend time with the women. The majority of the 120+ women are Acholi widows who have been displaced from Northern Uganda because of an over 20-year-long war that has directly affected their tribe and homeland.
Inspiration…
Despite the tragedies they have seen, the hardships they face, and the unpredictability of life in Africa, these beautiful women of Suubi have joy on their faces and hope in their hearts.
As some of our volunteers have said, “America’s Next Top Model has nothing against these women.” They truly are an inspiration and they have taught us so much about life and choosing hope (daily).
Created with versatility in mind – made to be worn long, doubled, tripled as choker, or as a chunky bracelet. But don’t stop there – we’ve seen it worn single and tied in a knot, put in the hair, or made into a belt (you can link several necklaces together with the barrel clasps) – so get creative! Approximately 48″ of tastiness from one clasp to the other.
Each Suubi™ necklace is 100% unique – hand-crafted by the Suubi women in Uganda and made of recycled paper.
Only $20 and great for the holidays!
Visit: suubiafrica.org
