Empowering Women Through BeadWORKS: Juliana's Inspirational Journey
Juliana Lengilili: From bead artisan to entrepreneur, transforming her community through creativity and resilience.
When Juliana Lengilili joined the BeadWORKS Ngutuk Women’s Group in 2015, she eagerly applied her lifelong love for beading in a new way. Beading was familiar to her; she had learned the craft from childhood, taught by her mother and friends under the shade of a tree. She appreciated beading for its beauty, tradition, and community pride. This marked her first opportunity to pick up her needle, thread, and beads not just for leisure but to use her skills to earn money.
Life in Ngutuk Eng’iron village in Westgate Conservancy demanded resourcefulness every day, and Juliana wanted to build a better life for herself. When she sold her first piece, she was elated, awed by the power of her ‘magical hands’ to turn something beautiful into a source of income. Naturally quiet and reserved, she often kept to herself during group meetings, unsure of her voice and abilities. Over time, she blossomed into one of the top artisans, becoming a Star Beader who evolved from a shy woman into a confident leader, now managing a team of 25 beaders.
Beading offered Juliana financial independence and flexibility, but it was more than just a means to an end. With the income she earned, she explored ways to grow and create a sustainable future for her family. She ventured into selling petrol to local motorcycle riders, which sparked her interest in entrepreneurship. Then, she began trading goats. Most recently, in April 2023, she started a poultry farming business, selling about 60 eggs each week at Ksh 20 per egg. By diversifying her income, she adapted to changing needs and strengthened her resilience.
But building a business takes more than ambition; it takes support. In 2017, Juliana became a member of the Rangelands Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisation (Rangelands SACCO), an independent, community-owned, member-driven institution that receives oversight and critical technical support from MashinaniWORKS. This membership gave her access to loans of KSh 25,000 in 2019 and KSh 50,000 in 2021, which helped her expand and manage her businesses more effectively. She built a financial cushion through the SACCO and gained access to capital and financial literacy.
Juliana's drive to learn and grow led her to take a bold step by enrolling in the MashinaniWORKS Ufugaji Bora Mashinani program. This practical farmer field school is designed for pastoralists like her, equipping them with skills to enhance livestock productivity and market value. Through this program, she learned essential skills such as identifying and treating common livestock illnesses, breeding, livestock marketing, climate change adaptation, and practicing rotational grazing to prevent land degradation. With this new knowledge, Juliana now applies these techniques to her own livestock and shares what she has learned with others in her community. Her goats are healthier, allowing her to produce more and better-quality products. As her poultry operation improves, she can offer high-quality products to the market.
Juliana is one of 1,200 women across nine NRT member conservancies in the BeadWORKS program. In 2024 alone, these women collectively earned Ksh 10.6 million from the production of jewelry, belts, bags, home décor, and other beaded items. At 38 years old, Juliana balances motherhood, artisanal leadership, and entrepreneurship. At BeadWORKS, Juliana has been equipped with resources and training that have allowed her to enhance her beading skills, mastering intricate techniques to create beautiful and custom designs. Her creativity has been nurtured, enabling her to explore new growth opportunities, connect with a broader market, and contribute to her community's economic development.
To support women artisans like Juliana, visit the BeadWORKS website and shop for handcrafted products made in northern Kenya: BeadWORKS Kenya.