An 18-Month Program

BeadforLife is a poverty eradication project with the fundamental goal to have its members become independent and self-sustaining. Our membership program lasts for 18 months.  During this time members participate in our comprehensive program designed to prepare them with both the skills and resources needed to achieve self-sufficiency.   Members are selected because they are living on less than a dollar a day and have an entrepreneurial spark.  They are trained to roll beads and make jewelry and begin to earn a steady income.  In the first month they open savings accounts.  Money also goes into a business fund.  They receive health care education, family planning, and mosquito nets. Members attend two entrepreneurial training courses and begin a business plan.  They may also save money to build a house which we encourage.  Members launch their small businesses after receiving the money in their business fund.  Many of our members have as many as three small businesses providing a steady income stream.  Popular businesses include restaurants,  dry good stores, livestock, poultry and egg production, beauty salons, refreshment stands, selling vegetables wholesale,  and paper goods production.  A few spectacular business are a lumber company started by four of our members, a night club, and a brick factory!

By the time members graduate from BeadforLife they have started a small business and/or received vocational training and are ready to be on their own. New members are enrolled twice a year.   Graduation is a poignant celebration, happy and sad as we say goodbye to women who have worked their way out of poverty.

Here is a chart of our Memebrship Program - for a PDF of this document click here.