The women are the backbone of the community.  They earn the income for the family, work the fields, and raise the children.  A large number of children were orphaned during the war so many of the women are not only raising their own children but also orphaned ones.  Lack of education combined with school fees for all schools, makes breaking the cycle of poverty very difficult.

Joyce is one of the many women artisans who create beautiful paper bead jewelry. Through the purchases of the artisans' work, a school has been built, a clinic,  and homes have been built. 

---

The beads that are handcrafted by the women of the Krobo Bead Cooperative from the small town of Odumase-Krobo in Ghana’s Eastern Region. Here, many of the Krobo locals engage in making beads from their own homes. Bead making is a craft that has been passed down through the generations.

These men and women are extremely talented artisans. Working with the non-profit organization the artisans are  provided with  consistent work and a living wage for their work, enabling them to shape their own lives and thereby advancing hope for future generations.