The adult friendship bracelet

Written by Amelia Mularz   

I was 9 years old when I realized the power of a fashion accessory. It wasn’t just any old embellishment that brought on this realization — it was my first friendship bracelet, made of purple and green embroidery thread. As my friend tied it around my wrist, I knew it was a big deal. Recently, I was reminded again of a bracelet’s ability to bring people together when I heard about Same Sky, an initiative to help women in Rwanda.

Same Sky sells beautiful bracelets, made of colorful hand-blown glass beads, crafted by Rwandan women. The artisans are all survivors of the Rwandan Genocide of 1994, a period when the United Nations estimated 250,000 women were raped and many of those infected with HIV as a result. Through Same Sky, these women have an opportunity to earn a living, as well as create a community for support. The key? This is trade, not aid — rather than a handout, the women are given an opportunity. They get the chance to put their skills to work and gain the encouragement, pride, and financial resources they need to rebuild their lives. Proceeds of the sales directly help the artists.

The craftsmanship is definitely more sophisticated than the friendship bracelets of my playground days, but what I love about Same Sky is that there’s a similar sense of connection. Each woman personally signs the bracelets she makes and the organization’s website follows the artists’ lives through photos and individual stories. Check in with the artisans and purchase a piece of their handiwork, for yourself or for a friend, at SameSky.com.