Changing the community one bead at a time

Nampayio Lepartingat, Nabiki Lesuper and Miriamae Lenakae making beadwork art where they earn a living from the beadworks at Kalama Community Conservancy in Samburu county on May 10, 2022.  [David Gichuru, Standard]

The open plains of Northern Kenya are among the most stunning places in Africa. Scattered acacias jut out of the Earth, breaking free of the parched red Earth that has seen little rain for months. Rocky peaks stand out of the expanse, creating the perfect stage for hiking enthusiasts. With its fame as a wildlife haven, Northern Kenya looks like a little paradise.

But behind this vaunted beauty, it’s haunted by conflict, mainly driven by a lack of enough resources have marred this serene environment. Poor rains have turned the region into a dry landscape where little in the way of food crops grow.