1000 Shillings.

Well whaddya know, it’s Friday! Thank goodness-I’ve got Christmas shopping to do, cookies to bake and trying to find an apartment aka plate.is.full.

Before taking off on whatever weekend activities you might have in store, I am really excited to tell you about an inspiring organization called 1000 Shillings that I hope you will consider supporting in some way, shape or form…’tis the season of giving, right??

So what is 1000 Shillings? This “international development organization”, created by Rebecca and Alexis, is working with six women of the Namatala slum in Uganda to empower them, give them a voice, and educate through mentorship!

1000 Shillings allows the women to earn income through their handcrafted jewelry in order to become truly self-sufficient and provide for their families. Some of the ladies hope to start a business, like Annette who wants to be able to sell rice-flour, and others simply want to ensure their kids can have an education and food to eat everyday. I encourage you to read the stories of these six women-I loved learning about who they were, the struggles they are working to overcome and the dreams they have for themselves and their families.

And the jewelry! I mean who doesn’t want to buy a gorgeous piece AND help make someone’s life better?! I bet some of you have a mom, sister, aunt, grandma etc. that would be thrilled to have any of these handcrafted beauties….my personal favorite is the Veronica!

I know that it can be hard to support every great organization out there, so if purchasing jewelry from 1000 Shillings doesn’t work for you, that’s okay. Support their efforts by following them on Facebook, Twitter, or check out their boards on Pinterest and pin your favorite pieces....all easy and free :)

I hope you will take a few minutes to visit their site and get to know more about this wonderful organization (thanks in advance for all those who do!) Happy Friday!

*all photos belong to 1000shillings.com