The Kazuri Story
Kazuri Founder - Lady Susan Wood was born (1918) in a mud
hut in an African village. Her parents were missionaries from
England in the Ituri Forest. Lady Wood was sent back to England
to be educated and married Michael Wood, a surgeon. They
came to Kenya in 1947. They were dedicated to making a
difference and Lady Wood started a coffee plantation on the
Karen Blixen estate, famous from the award winning movie "Out
of Africa" , at the foot of the Ngon'g Hills, about 30 minutes from
the bustling Nairobi city center in Kenya. Lady Wood was a
visionary, an unsung hero of her time. She assisted her
husband in founding the East African Flying Doctor Service,
which expanded into the African Medical Research Foundation
(AMREF) of which Michael Wood was Director General for 29
years. Michael Wood was knighted in 1985.
The beginnings of Kazuri Beads
In 1975, Lady Susan Wood set up a fledging business making
beads in a small shed in her back garden. She started by hiring
two disadvantaged women, and quickly realized that there were
many more women who were in need of jobs and so Kazuri
Beads was created and began its long and successful journey
as a help center for the needy women especially single mothers
who had no other source of income. In 1988 Kazuri became a
factory and expanded hugely with over 120 women and men.
Here women are trained and apply their skills to produce these
unique and beautiful beads and jewelry. The beads are made
with clay from the Mt Kenya area thus giving them authenticity to
their craft. The factory acts as a social gathering with the hum of
voices continuing throughout the day. With unemployment so
high, one jobholder often ends up providing for an "extended
family" of 20 or more. Kazuri is a member of the Fair Trade Act
Kazuri Beads Today
Today Kazuri, the Swahili word for 'small and beautiful' produces
a wide range of hand made, hand painted ceramic jewelry that
shines with a kaleidoscope of African colors and Kenyan art that
reflects a culture and appeal to a worldwide fashion market.
Kazuri's beautifully finished products are made to an
international standard and are sold worldwide. These standards
are maintained through high training standards and a highly
motivated management team.
In 2001 Mark and Regina Newman bought the company and
their goal is to further increase the size of the company and to
maintain the guiding philosophy ... to provide employment
opportunities for disadvantaged members of Kenyan Society.
©2006 Kazuri Beads USA
Kazuri Founder - Lady Susan Wood was born (1918) in a mud
hut in an African village. Her parents were missionaries from
England in the Ituri Forest. Lady Wood was sent back to England
to be educated and married Michael Wood, a surgeon. They
came to Kenya in 1947. They were dedicated to making a
difference and Lady Wood started a coffee plantation on the
Karen Blixen estate, famous from the award winning movie "Out
of Africa" , at the foot of the Ngon'g Hills, about 30 minutes from
the bustling Nairobi city center in Kenya. Lady Wood was a
visionary, an unsung hero of her time. She assisted her
husband in founding the East African Flying Doctor Service,
which expanded into the African Medical Research Foundation
(AMREF) of which Michael Wood was Director General for 29
years. Michael Wood was knighted in 1985.
The beginnings of Kazuri Beads
In 1975, Lady Susan Wood set up a fledging business making
beads in a small shed in her back garden. She started by hiring
two disadvantaged women, and quickly realized that there were
many more women who were in need of jobs and so Kazuri
Beads was created and began its long and successful journey
as a help center for the needy women especially single mothers
who had no other source of income. In 1988 Kazuri became a
factory and expanded hugely with over 120 women and men.
Here women are trained and apply their skills to produce these
unique and beautiful beads and jewelry. The beads are made
with clay from the Mt Kenya area thus giving them authenticity to
their craft. The factory acts as a social gathering with the hum of
voices continuing throughout the day. With unemployment so
high, one jobholder often ends up providing for an "extended
family" of 20 or more. Kazuri is a member of the Fair Trade Act
Kazuri Beads Today
Today Kazuri, the Swahili word for 'small and beautiful' produces
a wide range of hand made, hand painted ceramic jewelry that
shines with a kaleidoscope of African colors and Kenyan art that
reflects a culture and appeal to a worldwide fashion market.
Kazuri's beautifully finished products are made to an
international standard and are sold worldwide. These standards
are maintained through high training standards and a highly
motivated management team.
In 2001 Mark and Regina Newman bought the company and
their goal is to further increase the size of the company and to
maintain the guiding philosophy ... to provide employment
opportunities for disadvantaged members of Kenyan Society.
©2006 Kazuri Beads USA
| Lady Susan Wood |
| Painting Beads |
©2008 Bronze Bullet Design
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