Beads for Life | Teen Ink

Beads for Life

July 12, 2010
By cattymai SILVER, Huntington Beach, California
cattymai SILVER, Huntington Beach, California
8 articles 0 photos 0 comments

I help impoverished Ugandan women. I found out about this non-profit organization called Beads for Life, which teaches starving Ugandan women how to make beautiful beads out of recycled paper. With the profits from these beaded necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, the women move from being starving and homeless to feeding their children, owning their own business, and owning their own tiny beautiful brick house. When I found out about the organization, I immediately mailed away for the beads. The first day, I only sold one bracelet, and I felt pretty discouraged. I tried again the next day and sold five more, and each day that I tried, more and more people bought until over the course of a few months, I eventually sold a hundred bracelets, a couple of necklaces, five handmade silk bags, and a pair of earrings. I raised $550, which in a country where people live on two dollars a day is a pretty helpful sum. How did this project make me stronger and more confident? Well, helping people gives my life meaning. After all, Buddha once said, “Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.”



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This article has 2 comments.


on Aug. 16 2010 at 5:39 pm
writingchick GOLD, Huntington, Indiana
11 articles 0 photos 127 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Faith is taking another step without seeing the entire staircase."

I love the ending, the question, quote and answer (: hey if ya get the chance could you rate/comment on my work? thanks

vyky said...
on Aug. 11 2010 at 6:45 pm
Catherine, your article is awwwwsome!!!!