SATUBO
Founded in 2010, SATUBO is a women’s beading collective in northern Kenya that brings together women from the Samburu, Turkana, and Borana communities. Created in response to intertribal conflict, the group began with 20 women who shared their traditional beadwork skills and a vision for a more peaceful future. Today, more than 60 women work together to create handcrafted beaded jewelry and accessories, transforming a shared cultural tradition into a source of connection, opportunity, and economic independence.
Beyond their artistry, SATUBO’s members are building a stronger future for their families and communities. Through their collective work, the women have purchased land, established a workshop, and developed opportunities to support their households and their children’s education. By preserving traditional beading techniques and creating income through their craft, SATUBO fosters cultural heritage, women’s financial independence, and lasting connections across communities once divided by conflict. Each purchase supports the artisans and the powerful work they are doing to build a more unified future.
Sustainable Technique
Hand Beading
In most of Africa, men weave; women bead. Working with wire or thread, beads are accumulated and manipulated into jewelry known the world over for its colorful complexity and cultural identity. We offer pieces of beaded jewelry from South Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Africa, and indigenous groups in Colombia.
