Kazuri (Swahili for “small and beautiful”) beads are handmade ceramic beads made in Kenya, and not only are they beautiful, they have a great story behind them. In 1975, Lady Susan Wood started a small bead-making company to employ two disadvantaged Kenyan women. That enterprise has grown over the years into an operation that employs over 120 Kenyans, paying fair wages and providing full health care, especially to single mothers with no other source of support. It is considered an honor to work there, and the wages earned there allow some women to provide for as many as 20 extended family members in an area with very high unemployment. Kazuri is a member of the Fair Trade Act.
Each bead is shaped by hand, without the aid of moulds or forms. The beads are then polished and kiln fired, painted and fired again. The resulting beads are beautiful, high-quality, and special.
