MAASAI PRODUCTION - FINALIST
KENYA


Maasai Production

The Leakey Collection gives Maasai women a sustainable income - without interrupting their traditional way of life.

In 2001 the Maasai communities of East Africa lost nearly three quarters of their cattle in a devastating drought. Hundreds of women were left to fend for themselves and their children while the men took their remaining livestock to look for better grazing. Some of the women turned for support to landowners Philip and Katy Leakey, who ended up feeding over a hundred families. To help the Maasai in the longer term, the Leakeys decided to help the women earn an income from their traditional jewellery making skills.

The raw material for the jewellery is an abundant native grass. The stalks are dried, coloured and chopped into bead-like pieces. These beads are then given to the women to assemble into jewellery. The women work outside, in their own settlements - working conditions that complement the lifestyle of the Maasai. As Philip explains, "We tried to design a system that doesn't interrupt the lifestyles of the Maasai people. We try to make our business fit their lifestyle rather than try to change our lifestyle to suit our business."

While the production methods are traditional, the jewellery itself is designed for international markets - the Maasai themselves think its subtle colours are in rather bad taste! Helped by the world-famous Leakey name - Philip is a son of renowned paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey - the Leakey collection is sold in more than 2000 shops in 20 countries.

2008 finalist 2008 finalist 2008 finalist
«
»

2010

The Only Way is Up - Philippines A Class Apart - Guatemala Pass it on - Peru Burn After Eating - India Charge of the Light Brigade - Rwanda Cyber Capital - Denmark Double Boiled - Kenya Growth Cycle - Zambia In a Nutshell - Malawi Ok Coral - Tanzania One Reef at a Time - Madagascar Saving From a Rainy Day - Mexico

2009

Safe Bottle Lamp Project - Sri Lanka Danamon Go Green - Indonesia Fungi Town - United States Afghan Hands - Afghanistan Andaman Discoveries - Thailand Barefoot Women Solar Engineers of Africa - India Biogas as an alternative source of energy - Kenya Cheetah Conservation Fund Bush Project - Namibia Comet-ME - Israel - Palestine Mootral - Uk Stoves for Survival - the Democratic Republic of Congo

2008

Plan Bee - Pakistan A Chance to Grow - Nepal Homegrown Heroes - Paraguay Change is Brewing - South Africa Cliffhanger - India Comunidade Film - Brazil Green Gold - Colombia Independence Day - India Maasai Production - Kenya Market economy - Kenya Sole Traders - Kenya Yurt Kindergartens - Kyrgyzstan

2007

Potato Goldmine - Peru Cooking Without Gas - Nepal School for Success - Haiti Half Price Hygiene - Uganda Herbal Healing - Vietnam High Sweet Fashion - Mexico Limbs From Leftovers - Nepal Out of the Forest - Brasil Peace Woods - Colombia S.O.S: Save our Seaweed - Brazil Steaming Ahead - Indonesia Top of the Crops - Afghanistan

2006

Elephant Paper - Sri-Lanka Card Aid - Rwanda Well Water - Bangladesh Blooming Business - Mauritius/Madagascar Fireproof Juice - Sweden Grass Roots - Swaziland Making a Buzz - Rodrigues/Mauritius Powering Up - Ethiopia Shark Park - Fiji Silicon Salvage - UK Sunny Side Up - Laos Wild Child - Botswana

2005

Coconets - Phillipines Fat Chance - Malta Reef Rehab - Vanuatu A Chilli Reception - Zambia Basket Case - Kenya Bugs Money - Kenya Dye-ing For Change - UK & Slovenia Lucky Birds - Spain Men Not At Work - South Africa My Big Fat Ethical Wedding - USA Rooftop Revolution - Ukraine Snakes Alive - India

Follow us

linkedin facebook