SPRING 2015
DESIGNED FOR EMPOWERMENT 2 5 0 W O M E N E M P O W E R E D || 2, 5 0 0 L I V E S T R A N S F O R M E D Akola’s hand-crafted pieces are inspired by the women who make them -- women who are powerful agents of change in their communities. The Akola products are a means for these women to rise above poverty and transform the well-beings of their families. The Spring 2015 collection is no expection and is comprised of five chapters, each featuring an indigenous material of East Africa. The esquisite materials include ethically sourced Ankole horn, meticulously hand-rolled paper beads, sea glass from the coast of Africa, semi-precious stones and hand-cast metal beads and pendents from Ethiopia.
The women of Akola carefully pour over each piece, and are proud to give their customers something worth cherishing. 100% of product profits support Akola’s development initiatives to holistically rehabilitate marginalized women in rural Uganda and Dallas, Texas. Initiatives include wellness, health, agriculture, business and family care programs that offer sustainable development in these six communities and impact the lives of 2,500 women and children.
No.1
ANKOLE HORN
A N K O L E C O W H O R N || E T H I C A L L Y - S O U R C E D The Ankole Cow of Uganda is a primary source of livestock within the rural villages Akola works alongside. Rather than be discarded, Akola ethically sources this beautiful horn and provides it with a new life.
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COMMUNIT Y INFRASTRUC TURE The first tier of Akola’s development model is community infrastructure. Akola invests in the infrastructure for economic opportunity in rural villages and in Dallas with impact to date including 23 water wells, two vocational training centers and one retail location and distribution center.
No.1 DOUBLE HORN LINK A N K O L E C O W H O R N || E T H I C A L L Y - S O U R C E D $98 //
No.1 LUNA A N K O L E C O W H O R N || E T H I C A L L Y - S O U R C E D $72
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No.1 LUNA A N K O L E C O W H O R N || E T H I C A L L Y - S O U R C E D $72
No.1 SPIKED HORN A N K O L E C O W H O R N || E T H I C A L L Y - S O U R C E D $88
No.1 THIN CUFF A N K O L E C O W H O R N || E T H I C A L L Y - S O U R C E D set of 6 $72
No.1 CHAIN LINK A N K O L E C O W H O R N || E T H I C A L L Y - S O U R C E D S132
No.2
PAPER BEAD
T R A N S F O R M E D P A P E R || H A N D - R O L L E D Meticulously hand-rolled, each paper bead can take up to 10 minutes to finish. The hand-rolling of Akola beads alone offers employment to over 200 women in rural Uganda. The Spring 2015 collection offers 13 new color ways of these bright and bold statement pieces.
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V O C AT I O N A L T R A I N I N G The second tief of Akola’s development model is vocational training. Akola is committed to offering opportunity and dignity to women who have been marginalized their entire lives. These women have zero educational or vocational backgrounds, so Akola training can start with basic arthmetic before culminating to leadership development.
13 COLOR WAYS T R A N S F O R M E D P A P E R || H A N D - R O L L E D
No.2 VELA T R A N S F O R M E D P A P E R || H A N D - R O L L E D $52
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No.2 ADARA T R A N S F O R M E D P A P E R || H A N D - R O L L E D $88
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No.2 CRESCENDO T R A N S F O R M E D P A P E R || H A N D - R O L L E D $42
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No.2 NOVA T R A N S F O R M E D P A P E R || H A N D - R O L L E D $68
No.2 DEMI T R A N S F O R M E D P A P E R || H A N D - R O L L E D $86
No.2 COPTIC T R A N S F O R M E D P A P E R || H A N D - R O L L E D $32
No.2 COLLAR T R A N S F O R M E D P A P E R || H A N D - R O L L E D $76
No.2 BRACELETS T R A N S F O R M E D P A P E R || H A N D - R O L L E D $25
No.3
KENYAN SEA GLASS
S E A G L A S S || S O U R C E D F R O M K E N Y A The captivating sea glass beads are sourced from Kenya, supporting local economies in East Africa, before being brought back to Akola’s vocational training centers for assembly in to these stunning pieces.
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D E P E N D A B L E E M P LO Y M E N T Akola offers dependable employment for all 250 women in the program, so they can meet the basic needs of their families and transform the trajectories of their futures. Akola’s earned income affords school fees, medical needs, food and shelter.
No.3 ATLAS S E A G L A S S || S O U R C E D F R O M K E N Y A $68
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No.3 ATLAS S E A G L A S S || S O U R C E D F R O M K E N Y A nickle or brass $68
No.3 TOKEN S E A G L A S S || S O U R C E D F R O M K E N Y A $48
No.3 HYDRA S E A G L A S S || S O U R C E D F R O M K E N Y A $96
No.4
SEMI-PRECIOUS
S E M I - P R E C I O U S || H A N D - A S S E M B L E D The semi-precious collection offers elegantly dainty pieces perfect for layering. Each piece is hand-made with care by the women of Akola and offers economic opportunity for thousands.
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F I N A N C I A L S T E WA R D S H I P Akola facilitates financial literacy programs to equip women to steward their earned capital well. In Uganda, where there are no banking options, women save 10-30% of their Akola incomes in village-based savings and loans associations.
No. 4 GEMMA S E M I - P R E C I O U S || H A N D - A S S E M B L E D nickle or brass $96 //
No. 4 ARGO S E M I - P R E C I O U S || H A N D - A S S E M B L E D nickle or brass $68
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No. 4 GEMMA S E M I - P R E C I O U S || H A N D - A S S E M B L E D nickle or brass $96
No. 4 ARGO S E M I - P R E C I O U S || H A N D - A S S E M B L E D nickle or brass $68
No.5
ETHIOPIAN METALS A R T I L L E R Y S H E L L S || H A N D - C A S T
Hand-rendered by local artistans from former artillery shells, Akola’s metal beads are beautiful stories of redemeption. Hand-made in Uganda, these pieces represent the creation of beauty and hope, redining the promising future of Uganda.
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L A S T I N G S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y The final tier of Akola’s development model is lasting sustainability. This is achieved when Akola women in Uganda launch local businesses with the income earned and skills learned that will generate income for their families for generations to come. 63 Akola women have launched businesses to date.
No.5 TOKEN A R T I L L E R Y S H E L L S || H A N D - R E N D E R E D $42 //
No.5 GEMMA A R T I L L E R Y S H E L L S || H A N D - R E N D E R E D $48
No.5 CHARM A R T I L L E R Y S H E L L S || H A N D - R E N D E R E D $78
N o . 5 H A R M O NY B R A C E L E T S A R T I L L E R Y S H E L L S || H A N D - R E N D E R E D $68