Sometimes, my exploration in the world of fair trade fashion connects me to something that gives me immense pride to wear and to share with the world.

I recently discovered The Bead Project, a fair trade store that was created by non-profit organization The Women of Pader Uganda (TWOPU) in Pader, Uganda. The town of Pader is located within a district of the same name in Northern Uganda and was a camp for displaced people during and after the war initiated by Joseph Kony and his rebel army, the LRA. This war was responsible for the abduction of over 20,000 children, the murder or over 100,000 civilians, and the displacement of over 1.5 million people.

In 2013, a woman named Holly Williamson visited Pader and created TWOPU with The Bead Project as a way to offer employment to women in the region. These women started out using what they had access to at the time: paper to craft a range of fair trade jewelry. Since then, they have evolved into using new materials like glass, braided fabric, and metals.

TWOPU and The Bead Project now have had a community reach of over 7,800 women to date, they've equipped 95 women to open their own businesses, they have sent 250 students to school, and have provided over 120,000 meals.

I feel very honored to be able to share this glass bead bracelet with all of you because, not only is it really fun and easy to style, it is a truly a symbol of strength and resilience. To learn more about how these beads are made, check out the Reel they created (and prepare to smile as you watch). These chunky glass bead bracelets come in several color ways and I am very much considering adding them to the shop inventory at Ethos Kolekto! What do you think? Should I add them? Which color is your favorite?