Mary Kamais
Baskets & beadwork
A bead artisan whose son is performing well in high school.
“I am able to make and sell beads, which enables me to provide basic needs for my family.”
Mary's journey began in the Kipsongo slum, where she started begging on the streets at five. That life became her normal, and she never had the opportunity to go to school. At fourteen she became pregnant, and the pressure of raising a child while still a child herself led her to alcohol. For a time she neglected her baby, trying to numb the pain.
She found some stability when she married the first man who showed her kindness, and together they had four more children. To feed her growing family she began selling illicit alcohol, which brought its own dangers: frequent arrests and a stream of strangers putting her children at risk. Mary wanted a different life but did not know how to find it.
When she heard about the Baskets and Beads group she seized the chance. She committed to the group's rules, gave up selling alcohol, and began creating baskets and beads. Through her work she has found confidence and pride. Her dream is to provide a safe home and a good education for her children, and she is particularly proud of her son, who is performing well in high school.
In Mary’s words
“To become a businesswoman and to be able to move out of the slum and have a good life.”
Stand behind Mary
Gifts go into the group’s shared table banking pool and the programs that support every woman in the circle: materials, literacy, medical help, and school fees for their children.
