The news from Kenya is not good. Ruthless Islamic extremists from Somalia have been active for while now with brutal attacks in a Nairobi mall and more recently a terrible one on a coastal resort town.
The artisans at Kazuri Beads were far from the most recent attack. They live and work in Karen just outside and to the west of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya (see arrow).
While they were physically safe, the attacks have now resulted in many countries issuing travel advisories to Kenya. It used to be regarded as a stable African country. But no longer.
Kazuri Beads is actually well located in Karen which is close to the capital city. They are also on the tourist bus route and where safaris are conducted. So the travel advisories and the severe drop in the tourist trade will have a devastating impact on their local sales. This will be yet another blow to this modest enterprise as they are still struggling from the aftermath of the Great Recession.
So it is vital that we support these artisans as they are now reliant on their international trade. Each of these women are the sole breadwinners for a large extended family.
Many Hands Market Place - Kazuri West 