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1.24.2011

nakate (and my little-blogspot-lover's first giveaway ever).


i've never done a giveaway here before because it never felt like it was quite time. but when shanley, a one woman wonder who's changing the world, came to me with her new project nakate, i was in. 

nakate 1

nakate 2


nakate 3

nakate 4

"I went to Uganda this past summer to document the work of an aid organization in the Luwero district, which is off the main highway running through Uganda to southern Sudan. I spent several days focusing on Kakooge, a village almost completely wiped out by AIDS in the past few decades. The families left are struggling intensely: many mothers left alone with children, wrecked by polygamy, without hope, many fathers that openly wept when speaking to me, saying that they could not feed their children, that they were too weak from the disease to work. 

discovered, while there, that there was no market for wares in the village. Even those who were strong enough to work couldn't find sustainable occupations. I struggled, especially, with the way the women in the village were fighting to feed their families and were often brutally mistreated or taken advantage of in the process.

I had heard that people that had traveled to Uganda on medical missions had brought back beads from Kakooge, and I sought out the women who made them with my guide. I found that many of them were depending on the beads to pay their children's school fees, their rent, buy food, etc. but that sales were sporadic, and couldn't be counted on. I brought back a huge bag of beads intending to make sales more regular, and met Emily, who was finished up her MBA and had a heart for helping the impoverished. Together, we set up the Nakate Project, which sells the necklaces online, and at parties held by volunteers in our area. We pay the women back three times what they could make within the country, and use the rest of the money to invest in business opportunities for them in Kakooge, in effort to bring a sustainable market back in the area."


one lucky blog reader will receive the kaunna necklace

in order to enter please visit nakate and leave a comment below. 
for more chances to win, tweet or blog about the project and then leave an additional comment letting me know. the giveaway will close thursday at midnight--i will choose a winner at random on friday morning. 


i hope you all are as excited as i am--it's for such a great and worthy cause! happy monday!

93 comments:

Jenny said...

Beautiful necklaces and a beautiful idea!

Claire said...

I love the worthy giveaway! I would love to win the necklace but I will most certainly spread the word about nakate.

Jordan said...

I love a giveaway that means something!

Unknown said...

A dear friend of mine brought me back a bracelet like this from Uganda.
Would love to have a necklace to match.
Another worthy cause:
www.fallingwhistles.com

Thanks for this chance!
http://wellhellotherelover.blogspot.com

katie said...

a wonderful first giveaway - such fun necklaces.

Emily A. Blasik said...

that is beautiful.

Ju said...

Wow, what a wonderful giveaway. It's for such a worthy cause. Have a wonderful monday!!! Ju

Kate said...

This is such a great giveaway! And the necklace is beautiful

Jessica said...

This is fantastic. How wonderful that you could work with her to support this incredibly worthy organization!

Sara said...

What a fantastic cause! It's amazing how one litte act of kindness can make a difference, no matter how small. I'll definitely blog about it.

Sara said...

Link to my tweet!
http://twitter.com/#!/saraaisenberg

Laurie said...

So cute and fun!

Alex said...

That necklace is gorgeous!! And the cause makes it even better. Congrats on your first giveaway. It's a great one!

Fairfield said...

What a wonderful organization. I love places like this for gift giving. A present with heart.

Fairfield said...

What a wonderful organization. I love places like this for gift giving. A present with heart.

Unknown said...

What an awesome cause! Thank you for introducing me to them, and for the opportunity to win the giveaway!

Unknown said...

this is the coolest giveaway ever!!
hooray!

Heidi said...

What an awesome cause! Count me in!
Heidi

Cooking with Grandmere said...

I love when the universe brings people together and makes a small idea turn into something positive and powerful!! What a great idea. Even if I don't win this "give-away" I'll still probably buy a necklace!

gigi said...

What a lovely cause, and such a lovely necklace.

Dee Paulino said...

what a great cause!!

Emily said...

i am ALL about this. awesome.

beth said...

everything you do is amazing.

Shannon said...

Holy cow what a brave woman! Love the idea Meg!

cecilia said...

I love the necklace, but even more I love the idea!

● C E L I N A ● said...

THIS IS BEAUTIFUL and I love it!

in lieu of postcards said...

What a fantastic and beautiful idea!

Janelle said...

What a wonderful way to host your first giveaway.

Sara L. said...

What a great idea for a giveaway!
I love the necklace that you picked out, so pretty!!

Ashley said...

lovely.

Anna said...

This is truly a beautiful thing. I have bought bracelets and necklaces from a place similiar: beadforlife.org

It's so nice to see people helping to make a difference with these women.

~Anna

Sara L. said...

I blogged about your giveaway :)

Sarah said...

Thanks for raising awareness about the Nakate Project!

Anonymous said...

Sign me up!

Megan said...

Great giveaway! Love it and love the idea =)

Brittan said...

I love Shanley's blog. She is so inspiring! This is a great giveaway. Consider me entered.

Katers said...

What a great idea, I will spread the word!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful! What a wonderful organization. Thanks for doing a giveaway!

ASHLEE GREEN said...

What a lovely endeavor. I have a friend who went to Uganda last summer. She loved her time there. It's amazing how much we can help without very much expense or effort on our part.

Cate said...

Shanley is beautiful, the women she's helping are beautiful, the necklaces they make are beautiful, the whole thing is beautiful. Thanks for being a part of it!

Krissa said...

what a beautiful necklace...

i went and commented and i tweeted!!! awesome!!!

Cate said...

I blogged about Nakate here: http://racingraindrops.blogspot.com/2011/01/shanley-and-nakate.html

Molly Mouse said...

This necklace is beautiful!

Unknown said...

My SIL got me one of these necklaces for Christmas! Well, I don't know if it was Nakate, but the necklace looks exactly like these. She said she got it from an African woman at an arts and crafts fair in Eugene. I'd love to win another - I love this!

jill said...

Awesome! It's all about doing things that help others sustain not just survive. This is a great product and method to do that.

Anonymous said...

i love hearing stories about women who have decided to fight hiv/aids and poverty in a tangible way! and really, who can resist jewlery?

m.estelle said...

this really is the best giveaway. bravo.

Anonymous said...

This give away is not messing around--beautiful in spirit and in product!

The Short Italian said...

What a beautiful cause! I spent two months living with the Himba in Namibia. It is such a fabulous cause! Thanks for making more people aware.

Ashley said...

This is such a wonderful giveaway! SO happy you waited for something special like this!

Megan said...

beautiful necklaces, and even more beautiful is seeing others helping and doing their all to improve the lives of others.

Kara said...

What a great giveaway & kudos to you for spreading awareness! I would love a necklace! ;) xx

Lucy said...

What a wonderful cause and lovely necklace!

christine said...

This is brilliant.

I liked them on FB.

:)

Anna said...

beautiful. thanks for raising awareness.

and that necklace would look so artsy and gorgeous with anything!I hope I win!

Unknown said...

What a beautiful cause/little girl! I hope I win so I can tell everyone about this when they complement the necklace!

Kaiterrs said...

My goodness I absolutely love this! What a beautiful cause. Amazing!

dramaspice said...

Meg,
I've been reading your blog quite faithfully for just over a year now and I've always been too shy to comment on your blog. This is too wonderful to pass up. I know that when we all team up together we can make a difference in the lives of those who need it most. I'm adding a post to my blog to spread the word about this opportunity to lend a helping hand. Thanks so much!

Micaela said...

what a beautiful and worthy cause!!! i will be blogging about this tomorrow.

how gorgeous are those photographs and the cause that moved shanley to create this wonderful project.

amazing.

xoxo

Angela said...

cassie would just look darling in this necklace. such a tremendous cause!

Katie Morales said...

What a great cause! They are beautiful. Love your blog!

Angelica said...

Great giveaway, Meg! I'll definitely be spreading word of this awesome project!

Micaela said...

http://dolcevitamicaela.blogspot.com/2011/01/giveaway-to-tell-you-about-because-i_25.html

xoxo

Kaz said...

I have brought my children up on Fairtrade products and they could recognise the Fairtrade symbol from age 3. Its important that we all buy more and more Fairly traded products so we can truely make a difference as we are so blessed in comparission. Blessing Kaz

Marisa said...

An Amazing giveway and an inspiring story.

i said someday.... said...

Ohhhh, what a wonderful giveaway!! I love it! If I don't win, I will have to buy one for myself! Love it!

vintch said...

such a fantastic cause, and such a lovely necklace (from two lovely ladies). fingers crossed:)

i said someday.... said...

Blogged about it, too! :)

http://stephshelton.blogspot.com/2011/01/check-this-out-yo.html

Amanda said...

love this project! i have the same type of necklace that was given to me from a similar project in Uganda, now i'm wondering if it's the one in the same? thanks for bringing awareness to Nakate!

Erin {pughs' news} said...

I read about this on Micaela's blog this morning, before I had a chance to pop by here. Wow. What a worthy cause, indeed. I love it. And I would love to wear that necklace with pride!

Emily said...

What an incredible story! So inspiring to see people making a connections to help each other!!

Colleen K. said...

Beautiful idea for a first giveaway. I have a good friend who was working to help girls get an education in Tanzania for the last six months. They have similiar stuggles there and similiar products for purchase. I would not only love to win the necklace for a great cause but would be honoed to share the story of it with anyone who asked!

Caitlin said...

Wow - that is truly heartbreaking. What a beautiful thing to do.

Medical Librarian said...

Yes, an absolutely worthwhile project. Thanks for making me aware of Nakate!

Claire Kiefer said...

Please enter me in this fantastic giveaway with so much soul behind it!

jysika said...

That is so wonderful. Even if I don't win I'll have to look into acquiring one.

Mackenzie said...

love love love this! especially adore that its a giveaway from such a good cause. :)

Janel said...

What a wonderful cause/project. Great reason to do a give-away.

Amanda said...

What a beautiful cause! And such beautiful necklaces!

Alexandra said...

This is utterly inspiring. I would wear this with heartfelt pride.

m_b said...

you waited for just the right thing...beautiful and thoughtful!
new to your blog and i love it.
and i live in europe, bike everywhere and sometimes ride on an actual red vespa! (my friend's.) when i read that little blurb i thought, wow, i'm living her dream!
xoxo from italy,
marissa
p.s. following you now!

Shorty said...

So colorful and beautiful - all of these necklaces! And such a worthy cause! (I tweeted this too.)

Tara said...

beautiful necklaces and spirits!

best wishes to nakate and their mission.

Jill said...

What a lovely first giveaway--beautiful in physicality and in spirit of mission. I'd be so charmed to win!

Katers said...

Hey, posted on my blog too...what a great idea.

lauren said...

having spent time in uganda myself on a humanitarian expedition, i have to say that i wholeheartedly support this cause. not to mention the fact that winning would be personally meaningful because i have a special place in my heart for this wonderful country.

Amanda said...

beautiful necklace. am glad that it's supporting such a worthwhile cause!

Lorena said...

It's beautiful what some people are doing.. I want to do something meaningful one day too.

http://bohemiandust.blogspot.com/2011/01/nakate.html
and
http://sondelsur.tumblr.com/post/2961279417/nakate

Ash said...

What a fabulous idea!

Emily Strawn Photography said...

wonderful idea and beautiful necklaces! What a grea combo!! :)

Emily Strawn Photography said...

posted this up on FB. Spreading the word!!

Laura C said...

Oh Meg. I love this. And I love that you love it.

Isn't it fabulous when beauty and good deeds merge into one?

Nik said...

L.O.V.E! Inspiring.