Nalisan Lekoloi, a mother of three from Kalama Community Conservancy, is an artisan with exceptional beading skills. Her BeadWORKS journey began three years ago, and was a lifeline, providing her with much-needed income and a renewed sense of purpose.
Nalisan’s life took a difficult turn when she lost her husband while expecting her youngest child. Soon after his burial, in an attempt to exert control over Nalisan’s life, her brother-in-law made her stay at home to care for livestock and prevented her from attending any beading gatherings. He went as far as sabotaging her work by spilling her beads, making it nearly impossible for her to continue.
Despite this, Nalisan did not throw in the towel, and held on to her firm belief that beading would set her on the path to independence and stability. Nalisan’s father stepped in to rescue her from the escalating situation and brought her back to her family home, giving her the chance to start over. Despite the intervention of community elders, her brother-in-law refused to give her any share of the family’s livestock, forcing her to build a new life from the ground up.
Through BeadWORKS, Nalisan gained not only a reliable source of income, but also entrepreneurship training that enabled her to make informed business decisions. Recently, a bulk order from a new customer yielded high returns, enabling Nalisan to invest in livestock, diversifying her sources of income. Today, Nalisan has an optimistic outlook towards life, as BeadWORKS has enabled her to sustainably support her children. Each beaded piece she creates is a step toward a better life and fills her with hope. Her resilience and growth despite all she has endured remains an inspiration to all.