The care that it takes to roll a good bead amazes me. It was storming outside the day I sat down to learn how. I was in the northern Ugandan town of Gulu, inside the center that houses the Ugandan end of Paper to Pearls. Here the paper is cut for distribution to the beaders and here all the necklaces are assembled and packaged for shipment to the States. Olivia, the Center receptionist and all-purpose person, Isaac, the paper cutter, myself and Charity, Paper to Pearls new buyer, decided to wait out the storm by rolling beads. I don't know why I thought it would be easy. Long triangular strips of paper. Check. A toothpick to get the rolling started and provide a hole through which to string the beading filament. Check. No need for spacer beads or clasps, this was just practice in rolling different shaped beads. It surprised me that different shapes could be rolled from the same paper strip, depending on how the strip was rolled, and how many layers of paper strips were used. The thunder outside was distracting, but we persevered. Isaac finished his first, but I was certain he had prior practice. A large "tire" bead, one of my favorites. I practiced rolling the "firecracker" beads that make such a fun necklace when combined with round beads. Fairly easy. Now a large round bead that, for all my efforts, really wanted to be elongated instead. And so we passed several hours, until the waning light forced us to stop. The electricity had gone off long before.

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The World Affairs Forum at Boston University held a successful Valentine's Day fundraising event for Paper to Pearls, which they called From BU to Uganda with Love. Read the article, " Bead Sales Raise Funds, African Awareness " in BU's Daily Free Press to learn more. Thank you WAF!



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The first time I had a live chicken in my lap, I was being thanked by the our beaders in the Opit camp for sponsoring training that enabled them to refine their beading skills. The chicken was their token of appreciation, quite a valuable token, actually, since chicken is quite a luxury for camp inhabitants. For someone who grew up in the city, a live chicken placed in the lap is quite disconcerting, but I smiled my gratitude and looked eagerly for someone to rescue me from my discomfort. Amid much general laughter, my rescurer came forward, removed the poor fowl and placed it in the car in which we were to return to Gulu. Meghan, one of my interns who had accompanied me to Uganda, promptly named the chicken Opit, and wondered how fast it would end up in someone's pot.

I remember that day fondly, not only because of Opit, but because the beaders were so excited about their improved skills. They sang and clapped and proudly showed me their new work, eager for approval and for the assurance that I would be able to buy an extra number of their necklaces on their next market day. Joyce, my Ugandan partner and I walked arm in arm to the car, with Meghan clapping and dancing to the women's songs. Opit, whose feet were tied, rustled on the floor of the back seat as we drove back to town. Joyce put him in a pot the next day.



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Just before Valentine's Day, The Bailey Law Group in Washington, DC arranged an art show for "friends and family" and generously invited Paper to Pearls to participate. Although our jewelry is not art in the traditional sense, the beautiful Ugandan designs generated a lot of attention, and gave us an opportunity to discuss the plight of the northern Ugandan women and children. The necklaces proved very popular as Valentine gifts. It was Washington to Uganda with love !



If you are interested in hosting a special event that can include Paper to Pearls, please contact us at voices@vfgc.org . We love making a difference, and you will too!!

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