I am a third-year commerce student at Strathmore University and a volunteer with the Community Service Centre. Recently, I joined a women’s promotion camp in Nariokotome Mission, collaborating with Strathmore Turkana Education Project and the Missionary Community of St. Paul the Apostle (MCSPA).

Along the western shore of Lake Turkana lies a humble but powerful movement that strings one bead at a time. My journey to Nariokotome introduced me to a group of extraordinary women whose resilience, creativity, and spirit continue to inspire me long after my departure from Turkana.

These women are part of a beadwork project that empowers them to earn a sustainable income in a community where the odds are often stacked against them. They have neither had the opportunity to go to school nor a stable source of livelihood. Here, the land is vast and bare, while access to the necessities like water and food is difficult. Rather than give up, these women have chosen to stand up.

Most of these women walk long distances each day to participate in the program. Some make a 3-hour journey on foot, driven not by obligation but by dedication. Despite the physical challenges, their positivity, work ethic and humility stand out. They sing as they work: their melodies weaving through the air with the same grace and rhythm as the beads through thread.

I had the joy of interacting with them closely, wearing their colourful shangas, dancing, laughing and joining them in song as they worked. Though we were separated by language, we were united in purpose and joy. The “raiya” women, i.e., those women who have never been to school, still call out with excitement to Teacher Jenny whenever they face a challenge, knowing that guidance and support are always available. Their eagerness to learn is unmatched.

Most of these women are fast learners, now creating up to three pieces a day. Over time, they have not only refined their skill but also gained the confidence to recognize the value of their craft.

This project, led by Lydia and Lenny and supported by Strathmore and its partners, is more than just beadwork. It is a lifeline, a source of identity and pride. The project leaders constantly remind the women that this is their office, and that they should approach it with the same pride and professionalism as in any workplace. The women take this to heart, cherishing the fact that they, too, have a job, a purpose and a place of belonging.

With the breathtaking view of Lake Turkana as a backdrop, there truly was no better way that I could have spent my semester break. I got the impression that this is not just a community initiative; it is a transformational project weaving resilience and sisterhood among the women.

My experience there has been a testimony to the lengths that Turkana women will go to for a better life. I have witnessed the power of patience, hard work and belief. There is a beauty that blossoms when women are given the tools, not handouts, but skills to shape their own futures, and I am grateful to have been a little part of it.

Article written by Stacy Nyamwange, BCom 3rd Year Student and was first published here.