Over the past 15 years, BeadWORKS, a World Fair Trade Organisation-certified enterprise, has established an organised network of 1,200 women beaders from nine NRT member community conservancies in northern Kenya, namely: Leparua, Il Ngwesi, Westgate, Kalama, Sera, Lekuruki, Naibunga Lower, Naibunga Upper, and Melako in Isiolo, Samburu, Laikipia, and Marsabit counties.
These artisans produce high-quality, handcrafted products that are sold locally and internationally, across Africa, North America, Australia, and Europe.
By providing access to domestic and global markets, BeadWORKS is fostering the social and economic empowerment of women in the remotest parts of northern Kenya’s ASALs, who are confronted with profound difficulties, including gender-based violence, poverty, malnutrition, and insecurity.
A single BeadWORKS product begins in a manyatta (homestead) and end up in a retail space thousands of kilometres away. Behind this journey lies a coordinated production chain that includes material sourcing, standardised production processes, inspection and finishing, packaging, logistics, and export compliance. Each stage is designed to ensure that value is retained
as close as possible to the artisan, while meeting
the requirements of local and international markets.
Income generated through BeadWORKS has both direct and indirect impacts. At the household level, income is often used for food, school fees, and healthcare. At the community level, 5% of annual income is channelled into conservancy development projects, supporting investments in education bursaries, supporting conservancy rangers, wildlife protection, and other significant conservancy operations.
BeadWORKS also holds a distinctive position in the ethical trade space as a World Fair Trade Organisation-certified enterprise. Buyers are increasingly attentive to origin, transparency, and social impact, and the programme’s ability to trace products to specific conservancies and artisan groups provides accountability that is both demanded by markets and valued by communities.
Over time, this network of women has grown into something unprecedented in northern Kenya, a women led enterprise that addresses deep social challenges, through economic empowerment.
IMPACT
Over 1,200 women participate in BeadWORKS, with 103 being star beaders
Ksh 827,148 generated in sales from the BeadWORKS B2C e-commerce website.
Ksh 14.67 million contributed as conservation fees for community conservancies since 2016.
Star beaders’ rewards amounted to Ksh. 237,329 in 2025.
Ksh 4.8 million (2025) in income from the production of 47,167 items. Since 2016, the artisans have earned a total of Ksh 84.8 million.
Ksh 25 million (2025) in product sales, raising its total revenue since 2016 to Ksh 292.45 million.