Namuwongo Women´s group

I was honoured to visit Namuwongo women’s group´s workshop. William has helped these ladies from the very beginning of this group so he took me and my friend Sara to the Namuwongo slum, where these amazing women live, brought up their kids and have their business. Sofia, the manager of the women’s group told us the touching story behind. This slum area was established more than 10 years ago. During the wars in Uganda and in the neighbouring countries many families had to resettle away from their homes. These families were resettled in Kampala and they still live in the same spot, which was not supposed to be a permanent place for them. After more than 10 years, they still live there and the government have no plans to provide decent homes for these families.

Life was really hard for these women and they really struggled in order to afford normal items such as soap, or even food, not to mention paying school fees for their kids. Sofia, originally from Kenya came up with the idea of making jewellery, since the handicraft culture for jewelleries is strong in Kenya. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. At first Sofia didn´t know how and what material to use. But another lady from the slum knew how to make jewellery out of recycled paper. The women out their ideas together and nowadays Namuwongo women’s group is improving life’s of 36 women and their families, so more than 150 peoples life are improved through this.

The jewelleries are made by cutting the recycled paper in a long triangle shape. The paper is rolled around in to a shape of a bean, and finished up with glue and refining chemical. No dies are needed, the colour of the paper determines the colour of the bean.

If you would like to get some of these these beatiful items, let me know.