UNITY WOMEN'S VILLAGE
Welcomed into the matriarchal women's village in Samburu, Kenya on our first day.
Why buy beadwork jewelry from the women at UNITY?
The women of Unity are one of the first villages in the world devoted solely to sisterhood and providing a better life for all of their children. The women started selling their handcrafted beadwork jewelry as a means to pay for school fees, clean water, food, and higher education. The jewelry sold at screenings of The Connected Cup and online at Etsy are wholesale pieces (money is given directly to women at the time of buying jewelry).
Alice is a skilled beadwork jewelry artist. The traditional necklaces she is wearing here can take anywhere from 2 - 4 months to make. The bracelets, cuffs, and bangles take around 3 weeks.
SUPPORT ARTISTS. THINK GLOBAL. EMPOWER WOMEN.
LEAH LEKERIMUI (OR AS SHE IS KNOWN IN THE VILLAGE "MAMA") IS THE MATRIARCH OF THE VILLAGE. SHE CARES AND PROTECTS HER SISTERS. WHEN THE VILLAGE ELDERS AND VILLAGE LEADERS GATHER TOGETHER, SHE REPRESENTS THE WOMEN AT 'UNITY'.
Want to Visit UNITY?
The women have opened their community up to travelers interested in meeting the women, buying beadwork, and learning about the sisterhood.
You have TWO OPTIONS:
1. Stop by the village for a few hours or the day to visit the women. This means you will need to get to Archers Post, Kenya to meet one of the women who will then direct you to the village. Remember that it is a remote area, so plan accordingly for a taxi or motorbike. Easily accessible from Nairobi by Matatu (a shared bus) that will take you to Isiolo. You can spend the night in Isiolo then visit the women in the morning (maybe bring some tea or coffee to make with the women & share together!).
2. Spend the night or a few days with the women. Recently the women built a visitors hut for travelers to spend a day or more with the community. If you are interested in this option message the website coordinator to notify the women .
4 beds, 2 separate rooms in the hut. This is the entryway pictured here with the fabrics dividing the two rooms.
Want to bring supplies or gifts for the women?
Of course this is not necessary or expected! However, I know that many of you are similar to Brooke and would want to help if you can.
Many of the supplies can be bought at the town center in Archers Post before going to the village. Supplies that isn't exactly a life necessity but is extremely nice to have: like RICE, DISH SOAP, TEA, COFFEE, NOTEBOOKS, PENS, SALT, TOOTHBRUSHES, TOOTHPASTE, BODY SOAP.
The older girls and boys are actively learning English, and would LOVE any books, magazines, newspapers, etc. that you bring for them to read.
Every morning we were lovingly woken up by the giggles of the children on their way to school. We then shared coffee with some of the women in our room!
READY TO DIVE INTO JAPAN?