IPhepha Beads

The iPhepha Beads project was started in October 2011 as a community empowerment project with a number of self-help groups of unemployed people, most of whom are vulnerable women from the KZN Midlands of South Africa. They are upcycling paper from glossy magazines, boxes, calendars, brochures and other paper, creating beauty out of waste. The jewellery is interspersed with glass, wood, seed beads and buttons, with minimal use of plastic beads or imports. Each item is 100% unique and is handmade for you!

The purpose of iPhepha Beads is to eradicate extreme poverty; the women and youth make crafts to earn a sustainable income aside from Government Grants to support themselves and their families under fair trade and eco-friendly principles. iPhepha Beads provide marketing opportunities and donates all profits back to the Beaders and their Benefactors for whichever cause they agree upon.

We are proud to have partnered with eThembeni HIV/AIDs Ministries in Mphophomeni, South Africa. iPhepha Beads now falls under their banner as an income-generating craft initiative (Registration No.: 032-733-NPO • PBO No. 930003873).

The idea behind the iPhepha Beads initiative evolved when founder, Karen Zunckel, was working on environmental sustainability assessments in Africa in 2011. She met some inspiring people committed to a variety of conservation and community projects who touched her deeply. Her desire to ‘give back’ in some way to the environment and vulnerable women and youth became consuming. For many years' prior to this project, the Zunckels had been impacted on by the prevalence of HIV/AIDs in people they knew and loved and the idea came about of reaching out to people in need and making a positive difference practically and prayerfully in their own home community. And so the idea was borne…

Creating paper beads simply happened and although not unique to East Africa, the manufacture of this jewellery is not common in South Africa. Karen tried out a few designs which were received with enthusiasm and which sold! She trained up her first three Beaders, Zulu people she knows and has regular contact with and who are in need. Each Self-Help group is directed by a voluntary experienced Beader whose long-term goal is to empower the Bead-makers to become stringers and designers themselves.