Our Artisans

 

Through its Bead2Read program, ASSET also works with a network of talented women artisans from impoverished backgrounds who have low levels of educational attainment. ASSET provides training and professional development to advance their income-earning opportunities through the production of beautiful jewelry. This jewelry can be found in our Bead2Read shop.

These women artisans are extremely talented but often lack access to a market for their products and thus continue to earn a low income. ASSET provides a link to the U.S. market and any revenue generated from the jewelry provides a fair income for the artisans to support their families and educate their own children, while any additional revenue goes toward supporting higher education scholarships for young women.  For these artisans, many of whom are the main income earners in their households, making this jewelry is their path out of poverty.

These are women who never got the opportunity to attend university; in fact, most have not completed secondary school, but they have hope that their own children will have greater opportunities are excited that their work also supports a future generation of educated leaders.