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kambulago

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Red beaded necklace and blue owl statue

Want to give your loved one something truly special this Valentine’s Day? Our beads of hope necklaces are a unique, lovely statement piece that directly helps the women of Uganda.

These beads are made from recycled magazines that are then carefully strung together to create a one-of-a-kind, eco-friendly piece of art. They are handmade by the women of Uganda, and the proceeds from these necklaces go directly back to the community. Our beads of hope are another way we are trying to help build the community from within and help break the cycle of poverty.

Red beaded necklace and blue owl statue

The beads are called kambulagos, and they are a popular business venture for women of Africa, the Caribbean, and many other countries. We have purchased our beads directly from the woman of Uganda, and the proceeds of each necklace support both St. Elizabeth’s Academy and the Kankobe Children’s Home. Not only are these beads a wonderful gift, but they’ll also give your loved one a taste of Ugandan culture.

Valentine’s Day isn’t exclusively about romantic love, it’s also about the love you bring into a community and the world. The women and children we work with at Hope for Hearts have so much to give to the world, but it takes your support to help them share it. These beads of hope give the woman of Uganda the gift of a future.

Get your handmade necklace today!

Sending love, hope and happiness.
Cristen Lyn

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As you’re busy bustling about preparing for the holidays, please keep our kids in mind. Whether it’s as simple as signing up for Amazon Smile, making a donation on Giving Tuesday, or purchasing a handmade Kambulago as a gift, supporting Hope for Hearts this holiday season is as easy as 1… 2… 3!

  1. Shop Amazon Smile
    Whether you’re planning on participating in Cyber Monday, or simply purchasing items online at Amazon, if you haven’t already signed up for Amazon Smile, you should. It’s easy. Simply sign up at smile.amazon.com, select Hope for Hearts as your charity of choice, then do all your amazon shopping from smile.amazon.com, and a portion of the proceeds will go back to our organization. The best part about this program is that there’s no fee for you to sign up, and a portion of the proceeds from products you’d be buying anyway will go back to our organization. So why not put the money to even better use?
  2. Giving Tuesday
    After Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday comes our favorite shopping holiday – Giving Tuesday. It is a day to show your gratitude for all that you have by giving back to the local community. All donations are tax-deductible, making it a great, easy way to give your year-end contributions to a worthy cause. You can participate by making a donation to support our children online at https://hope4hearts.org/donate.
  3. Kambulagos (necklaces)
    Looking for the perfect stocking stuffer or small gift to give a teacher, colleague, etc.? But one of our handmade kambulagos (necklaces). They’re the gift that keeps on giving! We purchase the kambulagos from women in Uganda who hand-make and sell each necklace to make a living and support their independence. The necklaces are eco-friendly and made from recycled paper – ensuring each one is truly unique and one-of-a-kind. When you purchase one of these necklaces from us, the proceeds go back to providing a hand up to the orphaned children in our schools. The necklaces are made by a guest teacher of the school’s art program that teaches our students how to make this jewelry and sell it as a business to support themselves once they graduate. So we are still supporting the school programs with these beads.

Browse our products and make your purchase today at https://hope4hearts.org/products.

However you choose to support Hope for Hearts this holiday season, no contribution, no matter how small, goes unnoticed. We depend 100% on private donations. Every donation, large or small, supports our mission to educate up from poverty to prosperity. Here are just a few examples of where your money goes!

  • $25 provides two children a month of meals
  • $120 purchases a sewing machine
  • $240 one child, one year of education
  • $625 feeds 50 for a month
  • $1,200 sponsors five children for the entire year

With Gratitude,
Cristen

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Summer is winding down and back-to-school season is upon us. Many parents are rejoicing, while kids may be groaning, that soon they will be returning to the land of lectures and homework. If the kids in your life can be included in this group, perhaps they’re in need of a reminder of the importance of education.

While many here in the US think that education is a right, the unfortunate reality is that worldwide it is really a luxury that not everyone can afford. In Uganda especially, public schools require payment in order to be able to attend. Not many families can afford to send their kids to school, so the kids end up working in the family business or doing odd jobs to support the family.

For orphaned children, the situation is much more dire. They have no familial support, and in some cases, older children have to support their younger siblings. They end up begging on the streets, prostituting, taking any lowly odd job just to fight for basic necessities to survive. Facing these extreme economic troubles, the ability to earn an education is far beyond their reach. Without this education, they are doomed to a life of the streets without hope of self-sufficiency or independence.

So as your kids are grumbling of returning to school, use this story to remind them that they are fortunate to be able to receive an education. They should be thankful that they have a place they can go to each day to see their friends, laugh, play, and learn. Remind them that the skills they are learning today will provide them with a lifetime of opportunity to earn money and support themselves, and one day their families. And it could always be worse…

Take it a step further, you can buy one of our handmade Kambulagos (or necklaces) as a back-to-school gift to the student or teacher in your life. It is a symbol of the importance of education. Each necklace is hand-made by women in Uganda who have learned a trade skill that provides them a steady source of income. Additionally, proceeds from each Kambulago sold benefit the orphaned children at our schools in Uganda by providing them with a free education that will give them a hand up to live a prosperous life of independence and self sufficiency. Talk about a win-win.

Kambulagos come in a range of colors and sizes and vary in price from $15-$30 plus shipping and tax. Take a look at our selection and order yours today at: hope4hearts.org/products

With Gratitude,
Cristen

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Gift giving season is officially upon us and we have the perfect gift for the fashionista on your list. Hope for Hearts Kambulagos make the perfect stocking stuffer or present for a friend, coworker, etc. They are truly alluring, in more ways than you know and we’d like to tell you about them in this week’s weekend word featuring a double hitter – allure and attract.
al·lure
əˈlo͝or/
noun
  1. the quality of being powerfully and mysteriously attractive or fascinating.
  2. powerfully attract or charm; tempt. 
To be alluring means to be powerfully and mysteriously attractive or fascinating, attracting and charming others in its presence – our Kambulagos are all of that and more! In addition to being a beautiful accessory, each necklace has a fascinating story that will attract more people to want to support our efforts. 
 
We purchase the kambulagos from women in Uganda who hand-make and sell each necklace to make a living and support their independence. The necklaces are eco-friendly and made from recycled paper – ensuring each one is truly unique and one-of-a-kind. When you purchase one of these necklaces from us, the proceeds go back to providing a hand up to the orphaned children in our schools; and your charitable gift can spread even farther through the law of attraction. 
the-power-of-attraction-3
 
at·tract
əˈtrakt/
verb
  1. cause to come to a place or participate in a venture by offering something of interest, favorable conditions, or opportunities.
  2. evoke (a specified reaction).
  3. cause (someone) to have a liking for or interest in something.
To attract means to make something happen, evoke a reaction, cause interest; and the law of attraction suggests that like attracts like. When you use attraction to do more good in the community, it can be a very powerful thing,  
Every time you wear or gift a Hope for Hearts necklace, its allure starts a conversation about our mission and the great deed you have done through the simple purchase of a necklace. This attracts others to follow your lead and purchase necklaces for themselves or their friends and family. The ripple effect makes an even bigger impact.
the-power-of-attraction
 
So this holiday season, help us make waves that will ultimately touch the lives of more and more orphaned children in Uganda. Purchase a handmade Kambulago by Dec. 18 in order to receive it in time for Christmas.
 
Many Thanks,
Cristen