Children's Bangle Beaded Bracelet - Kenya Flag Spiral

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Children's Bangle Beaded Bracelet - Kenya Flag Spiral (2.25" Wrist Diameter)

All orders are processed in U.S. dollars.

Availability: Usually ships same or next business day.
Ships From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Ships Via: Canada Post Expedited (with tracking)
Customs Charges: Customs charges are usually not assessed, due to how we label packages.
Taxes: Downbound.com does not collect taxes from American customers.

Price: US $15.95

Product Name: Children's Bangle Beaded Bracelet - Kenya Flag

Product Code: TCN-AJ-OBARA-J-BBB-C-KFSP-2.25

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How this product helps people affected by HIV / AIDS:

This line of vegan art (no bones, feathers, or leather) is made by a small collective of craftspeople who are infected or affected by HIV / AIDS. They live in the East African country Kenya, where approximately 7 percent of the population is infected with HIV / AIDS. These craftspeople are otherwise unemployed, and many are either directly infected with HIV / AIDS, have dependants who are infected, or have lost family providers to the disease.
Andrew Obara & Adam Wilson of Downbound

Downbound purchases this art directly from a Kenyan man, Andrew Obara, who with his wife Leonora cares for 10 adopted children that have lost their parents to AIDS, and 5 children of their own. Their family gets by on practically nothing, and lives in only a 3 bedroom apartment. Leonora is a social worker employed by the humanitarian organization Intersos to provide counseling services through Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya (WOFAK), where she earns $8,400 per year. Andrew was employed with Xerox, where he earned $9,600 per year. However, Andrew lost his job in January 2007 due to downsizing, and now relies entirely on these crafts sales to contribute financially to his family.

The Obaras' children range in age from 11 to 19. In Kenya, quality education can only be obtained in private schools, which places greater financial hardship on families like the Obaras. Of their 15 children, the 5 youngest go to local private schools, costing $1,000 per child annually. The next oldest 8 children attend boarding schools away from home (grades 9 to 12 are not available locally), costing $750 to $1,200 per child annually. The oldest two children are taking career courses, one to be a chef, and the other to be a truck driver.

While Andrew and Leonora live a very hard life, and putting a cap on adopting more children would ease their hardships, they have no intention of stopping. Andrew expresses it, saying, "What can I do? The children come knocking at our door." Andrew's and Leonora's home is known as a haven in their community for children orphaned by AIDS. The Obaras hope to eventually build a home with 7 bedrooms and adjacent wooden shacks for extra housing, so that they can continue taking in newly orphaned children.

Andrew is not a "business person". He is simply a man with a big heart who wants to earn enough to support his family, and to do so through helping local AIDS affected craftspeople sell their artwork. He was referred to Downbound through a church that provides some financial aid to his family. It is our hope at Downbound that by offering these fine crafts, we can better the lives of the craftspeople, the Obara family, and our customers.

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