Suzanne with children Tobsha and Otis are supporting Ugandan women by selling BeadForLife jewellery. Story & Photo Eve Jeffery

A local woman is helping the women of an east African nation sell their wares to a wordwide audience.

Mullum mum of three Suzanne Flowerday has discovered the same treasure as a trio of tourists who stopped to admire a woman making handmade beads in Uganda five years ago. The three had no idea that they would unearth a movement that would create sustainable opportunties for women to lift their families out of extreme poverty.

Since 2004, BeadForLife has helped impoverished women   improve their lives. The women make gorgeous handcrafted paper beads and turn them into necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. Because the beaders use recycled, colorful paper, the beads help prevent environmental degradation. What was trash, becomes beauty, money, food, and hope.

‘I stumbled across BeadForLife one day after seeing a tiny picture of the beads in a magazine while I was waiting at the doctors,’ says Suzanne. ‘I thought they looked so beautiful that I checked the website and instantly wanted to organise a bead party and get involved.’

HIV has devastated much of Uganda, and women are often left to care for orphans. However the women are now starting to be able to buy food for themselves, and access healthcare and even have homes to live in according to Suzanne.  Suzanne is planning on setting up a stall next Mullum market day to sell the jewellery and send the money to BeadsForLife headquarters before the end of September.

If you would like more information on how to buy the Ugandan bead jewellery, you can email Suzanne: suzanneflowerday@gmail.com and for more information on BeadForLife, visit the website: www.beadforlife.org.