31Bits

Photo Credit to 31bits

“Our goal is to empower people to rise above poverty. On top of that, we create products with exceptional quality and sophisticated design. It’s a win/win.” (31bits.com)

31Bits was started by a group of college friends Kallie, Alli, Anna, Brooke, and Jessie who had a life changing experience in Uganda. It all started when Kallie came back from her trip to Uganda. She shared with her friends of the young women, the same age as them, who lived in poverty and were single moms with no education or job. Kallie and her friends became invested in these Ugandan women and planned a trip to Uganda the following summer.

They found that, what the women lacked in education, they made up for in artistic skill and resourcefulness. The Ugandan women made beautiful jewelry out of old posters and other recycled materials. Kallie, Alli, Anna, Brooke, and Jessie were then entering their senior year of college and came to the realization that college girls would be the perfect market for such uniquely crafted jewelry. With no idea how to start a business they were determined to help the Ugandan women.

Five years later, 31Bits is a thriving organization that is known for their beautiful crafted jewelry to fight the poverty in Uganda. Their model of business is self-sufficient, and fully run by jewelry sales.

Our model is to empower people through the fashion industry. We work with our beneficiaries in Uganda to create fashionable, quality products. They earn an income enabling them to provide for their families. We care for them holistically through counseling, health education, finance training, and business mentorships. After five years in our program, our beneficiaries are ready to graduate. A graduated beneficiary has her own business and is educated, healthy, and confident. She is empowered. (31bits.com)

31Bits is empowering women to rise above poverty through fashion. They are truly living to a higher calling with a business mission set on serving others and making the world a better place one person at a time. They say it themselves "We’ve learned that as consumers, every purchase we make has either a negative impact or a positive impact in the world. That’s why we’ve taken a simple product like jewelry and made it a vehicle for doing something GOOD." Check out their products, they are beautiful! http://31bits.com/

Flora Stationery

Photo Credit to Flora Stationery

Flora Stationery is a nonprofit organization co-founded by sisters, Ashley and Victoria Vanbuskirk. Flora’s mission is to raise awareness and ultimately fund the cost of college tuition for the young women in Eastern Europe who simply cannot afford it. With the help of Flora these women are able to go to a semester of college for every twenty five journals sold. The journals are incredibly unique in their purpose, and in their beautiful cover design which was painted by young women in the area of their impact.

They tell their own story eloquently on their site florastationery.com

“When our co-founder, Ashley VanBuskirk, studied abroad in Pristina, Kosovo and worked as a reporting intern at a local news organization, she knew she was going to hear a lot of stories, but out of all the stories she heard, one stood out.

     The story of Ema. 

As a first-year college student attending the University of Prishtina, Ema worked part-time to help pay for her living costs and tuition.  Her family of five lived an hour bus-ride away in a small village in the center of Kosovo. With the second highest unemployment rate in the world at  55 percent for Kosovars who are 15 to 24 years old, Ema found herself in a cycle of working full time and only being able to afford her school fees for one semester out of the year. At this rate, Ema's six year law program was expected to take her twelve years to complete.

      It was from this struggle, that Flora blossomed.

Ashley and her twin sister, Victoria, decided to take on the task of creating a sustainable way for women like Ema to access funding for college while producing beautiful and unique products to remind their users of the women in whom they are helping. 

With the purchase of our products, you can help support a young woman just like Ema, pursue a college education. 

​             Help us fund futures and come alongside these women as they bloom into the successful students that they desire to be.” – Flora Stationery

Ashley and Victoria Vanbuskirk are young entrepreneurs who are funding futures for young women who otherwise could not afford an education. They are an inspiration to us all, and through their beautiful products provide a great way for us to get involved. Maybe a Flora notebook could make a great Christmas or Birthday present? 

The Branded Bear

Pink Abalone Earrings

Handmade by a Native American woman belonging to the Mandan Tribe of Oklahoma

The Branded Bear is a gallery and gift shop located in Medicine Park, Oklahoma, selling artisan items hand crafted by the American Indian people. The Branded Bear shop resides along other mamma and papa shops in front of a river walk. Its quaint appearance will enchant any visitor.

The handmade jewelry, pottery and other items are worth buying because of their natural beauty and the rich historical meaning behind each piece. Each piece of work resembles years of craft, passed down from generation to generation. Depending on the tribe, some jewelry was primarily beaded; others metal work, and like the earrings above, some featured stone. However, beauty and history are not the only reason to purchase from The Branded Bear, supporting artists is a worthy cause in itself. Artists devote their lives to practicing their God given gifts and abilities to create beautiful things, despite the often times lack of income received. Practicality is a necessity, but we must not forget to appreciate aesthetic and beauty, and support those who commit their lives to creating it.

Purchasing a hand crafted item is worth it. In your next purchase, think about where your money goes, maybe you could buy a gift that is dually purposed.