JOINING FORCES WITH THE LEAKEY COLLECTION
The Leakey Collection has focused on zulugrass bracelets and jewelry in Kenya since 2002. Their iconic grass beads are dyed with low-impact dyes and strung on durable elastic. The sale of their products contributes to wonderful work in East Africa, including creating employment for thousands of women, promoting health and hygiene, bringing clean water into homes, and mentoring young girls through school.
Philip and Katy Leakey, founders of The Leakey Collection who live among the Maasai in East Africa, wanted to provide their neighbors with work opportunities. They came up with an imaginative idea to utilize the excellent beading abilities of the Maasai women by using a readily available, sustainable resource- GRASS- as the primary element.
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$24.00
Hand-knit from 100% GOTS certified organic cotton
These soft stuffed reindeer are handmade from natural, organic cotton. Featuring a cozy scarf and sewn facial features, these stuffed animals are a family favorite.
Each reindeer is hand-knit by a Kenyan women's cooperative called Kenana Knitters. Due to the hand-crafted nature of this item, some variation is expected. Fair trade.
Size: Approximately 12"T
About the Artisans:
"Changing Lives Stitch by Stitch"
Kenana Knitters is a knitting cooperative in Njoro, Kenya that employs a community of more than 300 women in a rural farming area. In addition to supplementing the women's income, sales also fund community action for education and health services. All products are local and crafted from natural, organic materials.
$14.00
Handcrafted by Kenyan artisans from soft soapstone, this heart-shaped keepsake box has a hand-dyed finish.
Sold singly. Because this is a handcrafted item, each will vary slightly.
Dimensions: 3"L x 3"W x 1.5"H
Crafted from: Soapstone, non-toxic dye
Made in: Kenya
About the Artisans:
Soapstone is mined in Kisii county in southwestern Kenya. We work with three different artisan groups in and around Nairobi who carve, polish and paint the stone to create beautiful pieces.
$14.00
These beautiful sisal ornaments are handcrafted by talented Rwandan basket weavers. Shaped like traditional Agaseke giving baskets, each ornament features a removable lid, enabling it to be filled with small gifts or sweet notes!
Sold individually. Due to the handcrafted nature of this item, size may vary slightly.
Approximate Size: 4-5" tall and 2-3" wide, with a 3" string.
Made in: Rwanda
About the Artisans:
It is typical for many women in developing countries to depend solely on their husbands for financial needs, but Songa Designs International is changing this dynamic. By working for Songa, under-resourced women are encouraged to pursue economic independence, simply by using skills acquired through everyday life. Songa Designs provides jobs for over 150 women who in turn negotiate their own salaries and earn fair wages, which enables them to buy land, health insurance or send their children to school for the first time. Trained by generations of local cultural tradition, the skilled artisans in Rwanda in East Africa craft stylish, high-quality accessories inspired by nature. Each handmade item is tightly woven with all-natural materials such as banana leaf fiber or sisal plants.
$18.00
"No matter how long the night, the day is sure to come."
Beautifully screen printed, fully lined and finished with a contrasting zipper, this charming flat pouch showcases the African proverb, "No matter how long the night, the day is sure to come." Accent stitching and a button detail complete the pouch.
Size: 8"L x 5.5"T. Sold singly. Because this is a handcrafted item, each will vary slightly.
About the Artisans:
At Yda Walt Studios in Johannesburg, South Africa, talented owner/designer Yda Walt and a small team of artisans dream up inspirational products centered on South African life and ethos.
$36.00
Treat someone you love with this beautiful Leakey gift set! Featuring strands of colorful Zulugrass beads from The Leakey Collection, and a hand-carved circular soapstone box adorned with a beautiful spiral pattern, this set makes a wonderful fair trade gift.
Gift set includes:
$20.00
These delightful little robin sculptures are handcrafted by artisans in Zimbabwe. Each sculpture features a heart held in its beak, and is finished with varnish to protect against the elements.
Sold singly. Weathering is to be expected if the sculpture is exposed to elements over time. Because this is a handcrafted item, each will vary.
Dimensions: 9"L x 3.5"W x 5"H
Crafted from: Recycled metal, paint
Made in: Zimbabwe
About the Artisans:
Artisans at the Tonderai Metal Works in Zimbabwe use recycled materials and discarded oil drums to create stunning works of art and feature one-of-a-kind detailing.
$10.00
Through the sale of Leave a Legacy in Africa bracelets, Relate has raised more than $109,000USD to support Ikamva Labantu. Each bracelet is handcrafted in South Africa, and includes an informative display card to promote awareness for this vital South African NGO.
Ikamva Labantu aims to empower low income communities to become self-sustainable. Their programs range from supporting orphaned and vulnerable children, to HIV education, testing and support programs, as well as supporting the empowerment of women through education and communication projects. Relate's relationship with Ikamva Labantu goes far beyond donating funds to its highly deserving and effective causes. Elderly men and women in Ikamva Labantu’s local township senior clubs thread the beads for Relate bracelets. Visit the site ikamva.org.za.
Materials: Plastic beads, pewter, elastic
Available in three sizes. S/Child = 7.5", M/Adult= 8", L/Adult= 8.5".
About the Artisans:
Relate bracelets are handmade and sold to make a difference and change lives. As a 100% not-for-profit social enterprise, the majority of Relate's revenue is donated to credible causes and invested in social initiatives, with a focus on creating opportunities for all involved, at every stage of a project.
$10.00
From her home in Kampala, Uganda, mother-of-three Betty and four other local women craft these sweet ornaments from scraps of colorful cotton kitenge cloth, a wardrobe staple in East Africa. Each ornament is stuffed with poly fiber, and has an all-natural hanging loop.
Sold singly in assorted colors. Because this is a handcrafted item, each will vary.
Dimensions: 4.5"L x 3"W x 3.5"H (top of lion), 6.5"H (top of loop)
Materials: cotton cloth, fiber fill
Crafted in: Uganda
About the Artisan:
Betty has been producing hand-stitched dolls for 10 years now. Based in Uganda, she was inspired by a friend and set off to start her own production line. Betty now works with four other women in her home in Kampala to create beautiful decor items using kitenge cloth.
$14.00
Kamau is a talented carver and painter who specializes in bird art. This sweet chicken is carved from jacaranda wood and then hand painted with small details.
Because this is a handcrafted item, each will vary.
Dimensions: 3"L x 2"W x 2.5"T
Crafted from: Wood, paint, wire
Made in: Kenya
$10.00
These tiny bowls are hand-carved from the olive wood tree in Kenya, with special care being taken to highlight interesting areas of the wood's grain and natural curvature. These can be used as a small serving piece filled with treats or condiments, or use it as a ring dish.
Sold individually.
Dimensions: 1.25 L x 2W
Crafted from: olive wood
Made in: Kenya
To care for this natural serving piece, hand-wash in warm water and rub lightly with a coat of olive or food safe mineral oil to ensure years of use.
About the Artisans:
We work with representatives of Kamba artists in Kenya to obtain these hand-carved works of beauty derived from the olive wood tree. The artisans benefit greatly from the sale of their works, with marked improvements being seen for the individual, their families, the community.
$38.00
Marula Oil is a fast-absorbing facial oil that has been treasured for centuries by African women for its restorative benefits. It provides long-lasting hydration and soothes redness and irritation, leaving skin glowing with a matte finish.
With its extremely high concentration of Omega 6, 9 and other antioxidants, it fights free-radicals that cause premature skin aging. The oil-rich kernels from East African are wild-harvested, hand-selected, manually cold pressed, then combined with a 1% essential oil fragrance blend, to ensure the highest quality product.
The 30 ml bottle size, with a special oil dispenser, also meets travel requirements. Included in the box is an insert outlining uses and benefits.
About the Artisans:
In 2001, a terrible drought persisted for several years and brought devastation to the pasture lands. The livelihood of the Maasai disappeared as their cattle died. The men had to drive the few remaining cattle hundreds of miles away in search for better grazing while the women looked desperately for ways to feed, clothe, and educate their children and obtain medical supplies. Philip and Katy Leakey, founders of The Leakey Collection who live among the Maasai in East Africa, wanted to provide their neighbors with work opportunities. They came up with an imaginative idea to utilize the excellent beading abilities of the Maasai women by using a readily available, sustainable resource- GRASS- as the primary element.
Soon the Leakeys discovered that for centuries, African women had revered the restorative benefits of Marula oil and decided to offer it to the world also. After the Marula fruit is collected under the wild stands of trees, the nuts are removed from the fruit by hand. The nuts are slowly sun-dried, naturally concentrating the oil prior to extraction. The hard outer shells are individually split by hand; each kernel is removed and inspected for freshness, discarding any of poor quality. The oil-rich ivory colored kernels are pressed through The Leakey Collection's unique, proprietary cold-pressing system, ensuring the highest quality product. Now, even the men have joined in the entrepreneurial opportunities.