When I left my house this cold, sunny morning, I anticipated enjoying a hot, sweaty, centering vinyasa class. When I arrived at the studio, the buzz was all about these beautiful, colorful beaded necklaces and bracelets that the owner, Cyndi, had brought back from her recent trip to Uganda. Cyndi traveled to Uganda with Off the Mat Into the World, an amazing group of yogis united to make a difference in the world (http://www.offthematintotheworld.org/). In 2009, Off the Mat raised half a million dollars (Cyndi and the Rochester community raised $20,000 of that total!) and focused on eradicating the tremendous financial and health crises that exist in sub-Saharan Africa. I have not heard the details of the trip, but I know that while in Uganda, the OTM team worked to literally rebuild a birthing center, building it up brick by brick and providing some basic supplies to make the center safer for laboring women and their newborns. Something like 6000 women a year die in childbirth in Uganda, c-sections are regularly performed without anesthesia and one pair of disposable rubber gloves and a one-use birthing kit is used 15 times before being discarded! The money raised went a long way in helping many women--which brings me back to these beads. In an effort to continue helping the women in Uganda, Cyndi brought back these gorgeous beaded necklaces and bracelets and is donating 100% of the proceeds.
How gorgeous are these colors? These beaded necklaces are just perfect to bring in Spring!! And there is a great story to them! Looking at this photo you would never know that these beads are actually made from scraps of paper rolled tightly and threaded together in beautiful designs. These truly beautiful pieces are made by a group of Ugandan women. To be a member of this "artists" group, each woman had to apply, the criteria: mother, widow, HIV positive. Over 600 women applied. There are about 21 or so women in this group, each is taught the trade and also how to manage the money to sustain their communities. By purchasing a necklace or a bracelet, you are literally helping to sustain a community of women and children who would otherwise have little to no means of supporting themselves and each other.
Breathe is selling the bracelets for $10 and the necklaces for $20 and they are truly beautiful! The best part is that through the purchase of these beautiful beaded necklaces and bracelets, you will be making a huge difference in the lives of so many women and children. So, while $10-$20 may not seem like a lot for us, wrap your head around this: just .10 (yes, a dime) provides one feeding for an infant (how many dimes do you have in your couch cushions and car floor alone?), $1 provides a days worth of food to an orphaned child (1/3 the cost of your cup of Starbucks), and just $1,000 can buy complete pre-natal care for 125 women(only 50 necklaces)! Our money really can go a long way and we can make a difference in ways that are effortless and enrich our lives as well. If you are in Rochester, stop by Breathe and treat yourself!!
So, needless to say, I got much more than I bargained for this morning...and while the yoga was great, the bracelet that I walked out with was a true gift, a symbol of hope and lives changed...mine included. Gratitude.
Things I like....Jewelry that can change a life
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