Photographs taken at the DC Green Festival on November 7, 2008 by Ellie Van Houtte.
I often find dynamic organizations that mentor, train, empower or simply mobilize women to action. These organizations, small and large, deserve more recognition for the work they are doing---too frequently people do not even know that they exist. To highlight some of these inspirational organizations, I plan to post written profiles of select entities on my blog, and also create a directory so that you can reference them in the future. If you know of someone or an organization that would be a great addition, just email me the name of the group, their webpage and why you support the organization.
Today’s profile will be of “Paper to Pearls”, an organization that empowers women in the Refuge Camps of Northern Uganda through a unique entrepreneurship program. Using recycled sheets of colored paper, the women hand craft beads that are designed into elegant and quite amazing pieces of jewelry. When the beads are covered with resin, they embody a beautiful shine that is bright as “pearls”. I now own several Paper to Pearls necklaces, and friends and strangers alike frequently compliment me on my unique and colorful accessories.
What makes the Paper to Pearls organization even better, is the fact that almost all of the proceeds from the jewelry that is sold online and at stores across the Washington, DC region is returned directly to the women for training, education for their children, and other programs that improve the political and social opportunities for these women in their communities.
You can learn more about Paper to Pearls at www.papertopearls.org, or visit the Voices of Global Change store at 505 Wythe Street
Alexandria, VA 22314 (703-549-7077 ext. 202
voices@vfgc.org).
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