Beads for Life

... is a women's cooperative based in northern Kathmandu, Nepal. Founded over 15 years ago, the group promotes the economic independence of its employees through handmade jewelry and accessories.

She not only provides the women involved with a sustainable livelihood, but also supports further education and skills training in their local community.

Independence through empowerment

The cooperation was founded in 2005 with the aim of helping women in the villages achieve economic security. The organization uses
her handmade jewelry designs as a source of income for the women by threading strands of colorful glass beads into necklaces and bracelets. She is part of the Fair Trade Federation and registered with the Nepalese government.
registered, so that it can offer fairer wages and working conditions than many other companies in the region.

Educational opportunities

The women regularly participate in creative sessions with our designer, Felix Doll, to create unique pieces based on his designs, featuring a variety of colors and patterns. We are proud to support this type of environment that encourages creativity while providing these families with the financial security they need.

In addition to creating beautiful, handcrafted jewelry , Beads For Life also offers educational opportunities to improve members' general life skills. This gives people from rural villages the opportunity to develop skills that will enable them to compete in a changing job market, both in the short and long term.

Greater future opportunities

At obo, we are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Beads For Life and reward this hardworking team of women who tirelessly work towards their success and greater future opportunities. We believe more collaborative ventures like this should be formed in communities so that more underprivileged individuals have access to the resources they need to not only survive but also thrive economically.

Nimdiki Sherpa

Founder and Director

Nimdiki is a Montessori teacher by profession, but she doesn't regret the career change. Supporting the Nepalese women of Beads for Life and their families is an extremely important project, and Nimdiki is completely satisfied with her work. She is fortunate to have acquired many qualities through her education and family background, and she strives to apply these qualities to leading Beads for Life Nepal: clear vision, positive thinking, self-esteem, hard work, and a helpful nature.

Regarding the business aspect of her work, Nimdiki says: "Selling inexpensive, eye-catching jewelry is a competitive market. We source most of our beads from Japan and the rest from Nepal; mostly fine glass beads and silver, and occasionally semiprecious stones. We have gradually gained supportive, regular customers, both retail and wholesale, and are always striving to expand our market worldwide."

These products are manufactured by the women’s cooperative:

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