SPRING/SUMMER: 2013
Women of the Earth Women of Now. Sasa Design’s inaugural Spring/Summer collection was designed to embrace the elements of the earth that women so beautifully cultivate. Celebrating the Deaf community and their resilience in the face of discrimination, we created 33 pieces blending natural resources with globally crafted components. Our team of Deaf artisans, utilizing the skills and training we have provided to them over the last year and a half, meticulously put each finished piece together by hand. Inspired by the diversity of Kenya’s land and people, the Spring/ Summer 2013 collection utilizes glass, brass, bone and leather to create versatile pieces that tell the story of our artisans and the land they come from. From the open Savannah of Amboseli and the Maasai Mara to the Flamingo-laden waters of Lake Nakuru, the colors and textures of each piece transport you to this distant land. As you wear or market Sasa Designs pieces, consider the hands that made them. Hands that for a moment step away from their daily work serving as the voice of a Deaf artisan in order to create jewelry that enables these women to send their children to school and provide them with safer shelter and food. A few of our artisans are not yet mothers and use their income to live independently, no longer reliant on over-burdened parents or family members to take care of them. Sasa Designs by the Deaf is turning ordinary jewelry into catalysts for change. Our artisans are learning that they are as strong as the earth they walk upon and you are part of this incredible transformation. Sasa means “now” in Kiswahili – now is the time for these women to thrive!
“FOR NOW I THANK GOD…NOW THEY ARE AWARE THAT DISABILITY IS NOT INABILITY.” — Flora, Deaf artisan
Cover Photo:
Amboseli Sky Necklace Sky Earrings Evening Wrap
This page:
Chevron Necklace Kumihimo Chains – Flamingo Sun Earrings Sahara Sands Wrap Model: Marcel Temba
Chevron Necklace Sahara Sands Wrap Chevron Bracelet Nakuru Wrap
Sahara Sands Wrap
Kumihimo Chains Necklace & Earrings - Flamingo
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Sun Earrings
Braids of Hope – Blue Hope Earrings – Blue Model:Valentyna Rader
Poppy Wrap Obsidian Wrap
Hope Earrings – Blue
Jacaranda Wrap Kumihimo Chains – Dusk Infinity Necklace Sun Earrings
Flora Bracelet – Dusk Infinity Necklace
Infinity Earrings Infinity Necklace
“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” — C.S. Lewis
Jacaranda Wrap Kumihimo Chains – Dusk
Infinity Necklace
One Round World Earrings
Evening Wrap Amboseli Sky Necklace Sky Earrings
Kumihimo Chains – Crystal Mineral Wrap Crystal Earrings
Mineral Wrap Flora Bracelet – Crystal Wisdom Wrap
Crystal Earrings
Grace Necklace
Matriarch Earrings
Evening Wrap
Horizon Wrap
Braids of Hope Necklace – Pink Hope Earrings – Pink
“Working in Sasa has changed my life, I am blessed. I pray for work to continue bearing many fruits.” — SUSAN JEPKENDI, DEAF ARTISAN
ABOUT SASA DESIGNS BY THE DEAF: The world appears smaller and smaller as globalization, travel and business blur the lines between countries and continents. Regardless of whether buildings are getting taller and Internet is getting faster, in the developing world the wheels of progress remain in the hands of women. From Kenya’s slums to the rural shamba (farm), women continue to do the backbreaking work to pull vitality from the earth for the sake of their children. Mothers carry cooking wood for miles, jugs of water upon their heads and sit over stewing pots of porridge to prepare healthy food before their children go to school. Dotted throughout the country are a unique group of women doing all these things in a veil of silence. Resilient after years of being labeled as “dumb” or “slow” they face significant discrimination from the community at large (and often their own families). The lucky ones may have attended special Deaf schools where they learned Kenyan Sign Language and skills for survival, but their job prospects remain bleak. In Kenya, 85% of Deaf people are jobless. Sasa Designs is committed to changing this reality by providing skills training and jobs to Deaf women throughout the country. In our first year of production we trained 12 artisans to produce our first collections. Many of these women are already dreaming of starting their own jewelry businesses to take advantage of Kenya’s growing local market. As we mature we hope to empower women in slums throughout the nation to produce pieces for our line as well as their own small businesses. Thank you for being a part of Sasa Design’s beginnings and the journey we are embarking on to change the future for Deaf women in Kenya, and someday, beyond.
Ann Wambui , after a lifetime being rejected by family members, is now a proud mother and artisan. She says of her family, “Now they are aware that being a deaf person does not make someone useless.”
Dinah Rambeka is hearing with a diploma in Community Development. She has worked as a health counselor throughout Kenya and is proficient in sign language. Dinah helps translate for the artisans as well as manages Sasa Design’s inventory.
Dorothy Aoko, having been ostracized through-
Elizabeth Wambui is a mother of two and trav-
out her life due to her deafness, is now proud of who she is and her ability to work and take care of herself. She loves reading and visiting friends on the weekends.
els up to four hours each day to reach the Sasa Designs workshop. Elizabeth is proud of her work and dreams she will be able to send her children to university someday.
Flora Mwakio is Sasa Design’s most dedicated
Nancy Njoki is Sasa Design’s lead artisan and is
artisan. Flora is a single mom who embodies the mission of Sasa Designs. Flora says, “I am proud because I am an employed person, so am able to take care of my kids and provide their needs.”
responsible for training all new artisans and overseeing production. A brilliant communicator, she prays her daughter Grace will grow up to accept her and her husband as deaf parents and to be a loving community member.
Peninah Wanjiku is our Assistant Lead Arti-
Regina
san. An incredibly skilled artisan, she dreams of starting her own business to employ other Deaf artisans someday. Peninah loves to swim and visit family and friends up country when she is able to.
Nyokabi
faced great discrimination from her family growing up. She is proud of her work with Sasa Designs as it allows her to support herself and be independent. Her favorite activity is traveling outside of Nairobi.
Susan Jepkendi , before joining Sasa, her
Virginia Wanjika struggled throughout high
only work opportunity had been collecting trash for recycling. When she looks to the future she hopes her son will get a good job as a professional or a doctor.
school due to a lack of finances and support, Virginia was not optimistic about finding work. Now that she’s joined Sasa, she is thankful that she can support her children - including twin girls she and her husband welcomed last year.
SPRING/SUMMER
2 013 C ATA LO G A L L P I E C E S AVA I L A B L E F OR RE TAIL ORDERS STAR TING JANUARY, 2013 THR OUGH AUGUST.
One Round World Earrings
#E10SS13 Cost: $10
Sahara Sands Wrap
Horizon Wrap
Evening Wrap
Nakuru Wrap
#B4SS13 Cost: $40
#B5SS13 Cost: $40
#B6SS13 Cost: $45
#B7SS13 Cost: $40
Jacaranda Wrap
Mineral Wrap
Chevron Bracelet
Chevron Necklace
#B8SS13 Cost: $45
#B9SS13 Cost: $48
#B10SS13 Cost: $25
#N3SS13 Cost: $32
S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 013 C ATA L O G
Poppy Wrap
Wisdom Wrap
Obsidian Wrap
Tied Together - pink
#B1SS13 Cost: $18
#B1CC Cost: $18
#B2SS13 Cost: $18
#B3SS13 Cost: $15
Braids of Hope - Pink
Braids of Hope - Blue
Hope Earrings - Pink
Hope Earrings - Blue
#N1SS13 Cost: $40
#N2SS13 Cost: $40
#E1SS13 Cost: $10
#E2SS13 Cost: $10
Kumihimo Chains - Crystal
Kumihimo Chains - Dusk
Kumihimo Chains - Flamingo
Flamingo Earrings
#N4SS13 Cost: $36
#N5SS13 Cost: $36
#N6SS13 Cost: $36
#E9SS13 Cost: $12
S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 013 C ATA L O G
Crystal Earrings
Flora Bracelet - Dusk
#E11SS13 Cost: $12
#B11SS13 Cost: $24
Amboseli Sky Necklace
Flora BraceleT - Crystal
Grace Necklace
#B12SS13 Cost: $24
#N9SS13 Cost: $25
Amboseli Sky Earrings
Infinity Necklace
Infinity Earrings
#N7SS13 Cost: $36
#E3SS13 Cost: $10
#N8SS13 Cost: $35
#E4SS13 Cost: $15
Sun Earrings
Hope Earrings - Sun
Matriarch Earrings
Patriarch Earrings
#E5SS13 Cost: $10
#E6SS13 Cost: $10
E7SS13 Cost: $12
#E8SS13 Cost: $12
Our gratitude to models Marcel Temba & Valentyna Rader for being the faces of Sasa Designs this season. Photography and layout by Christena Dowsett.
Art direction by Megan MacDonald. Shot on location in Rongai, Kenya. Special thanks to the staff at Rolf ’s Place.
(919) 521-5225
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