In June of 2012 Christy Rowden of Owasso went to Uganda and spent a few days at a babies home in Jinja, Uganda called Arise and Shine Uganda (AASU). After speaking with the director, Sharon Nyanjura, Christy learned that a large bag of rice cost $100. One bag of rice would feed the children for a week. Rent alone was $600 a month – and that’s just rice & rent. That didn’t include the cost of beans, formula, medical supplies, diapers, utility bills, doctor bills, etc.
While there she learned Sharon began a 3 month training program teaching women in the local villages to sew bags and make beads for jewelry. The process to make the beads was extremely interesting to Christy. The ladies take magazines, paper, or poster board and cut out long, skinny triangles. The paper is then rolled and dipped into polyurethane, then stranded on wire to make beautiful necklaces, bracelets, and ear rings. It takes about 2 weeks to make one long necklace that sells for $25 in the United States.
After the women finish their training, they are given supplies to begin their own business in their trade. They are then paid a fair rate for their finished goods and the items are shipped to people in other countries to sell. Once the items are sold, 100% of those profits are sent back to Sharon to help support Arise and Shine Uganda.
So on that trip Christy committed to do what she could to help raise money for AASU. She now sells out of her home, at local craft shows, at Bless UR Heart Boutique (in downtown Owasso), at home parties, and on Facebook .
For more info on AASU, you can go to http://www.ariseandshineuganda.com/
