Leakey Zulu Grass Collection

The Leakey Collection been been creating zulugrass bracelets and jewellery in Kenya since 2002. Their iconic grass beads are dyed with low-impact dyes and strung on durable elastic. The sale of their products contributes to wonderful work in East Africa, including creating employment for thousands of women, promoting health and hygiene, bringing clean water into homes, and mentoring young girls through school.

Philip and Katy Leakey, founders of The Leakey Collection who live among the Maasai in rural East Africa, wanted to provide their neighbours with work opportunities. They came up with an imaginative idea to utilize the excellent beading abilities of the Maasai women by using a readily available, sustainable resource—GRASS—as the primary element.

Mobile work stations were set up so the women could bring their babies and toddlers with them and work when they chose. As word passed through the Maasai community, women started walking as much as two hours each way to have their first chance to earn money. Now, even the men have joined in the entrepreneurial opportunities.