Traditional Bead-Work To Support Education

Inclusive and equitable quality education are featured in both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Sustainable Development Goals. Words Into Deeds established a grants program whereby teachers could apply for financial assistance to set-up student outreach projects. The first project drew upon teachers’ skills at traditional bead-making crafts. This taught students how to make beads from paper and then assemble them into jewelry and purses. The items would be sold both within the Gulu community and in the USA, in some cases aligned with in-school outreach projects. All proceeds are sent to the UNIFAT School scholarship fund. From the first two sets items produced, nearly $900 has been raised.

Jennifer Acen helping students gain skills in making beads and jewelry

Jewelry and textile items made by sudents to raise money for the UNIFAT Primary School scholarship fund.

Partnership with the Wawoto Kacel Cooperative Society

Founded in 1997, this cooperative in Gulu, Uganda supports individuals, mostly women, who are unable to work or are ostracized due to having HIV/AIDS or other chronic diseases, loss of families, and other issues that make them vulnerable https://www.facebook.com/wawotokacel/. At the co-op center they learn a wide array of traditional and contemporary craft skills.

Words Into Deeds, in partnership with Friends of UNIFAT, raised over $6,000 in private donations and obtained a $4,000 Rotary District International Grant to renovate and fully equip a vacant room to serve as a Computer Learning Center and hire an IT Education specialist. Working with a team of teachers, a grade-by-grade set of curricular goals has been established, and beginning in January, 2021, classes for teachers and students are being offered.

Basket-weaving, bead-making and textiles rooms at the co-op.

Examples of crafts being sold to raise money for the scholarship fund.