FLOP IS BACK!  Naturally he returns when I’m off working NYGift! For new comers to our blog Mr. Flop, a wild zebra, adopted our camp living with us for more than a year during the drought that ended in 2010. When the rains finally arrived in January of that year he and the resident herd of zebra (which snubbed each other) pushed off to greener pastures.  Our resident herd returned about 6 months ago, but not Mr. Flop.

We were sure he was dead; he was fairly ancient, battered, and worn as zebras go so it was a real shock for Philip when he wheeled the car into camp and almost ran into Flop standing smack in the middle of the whole operation.  For two weeks now Mr. Flop follows Philip and the men around camp while they work, hanging out under trees munching grass and snorting in conversation every once in a while.

Mara, our cat, doesn’t quite know what to make of Flop so follows him around.  The image is just too funny; Philip trailed by the ever faithful battered old zebra followed by the ever curious cat!  I can’t wait to get back and photograph the craziness.  My father thinks we should give Flop his own facebook page.  What do you think?

No one has ever captured the story of Philip Leakey as well as David Brooks did in his recent opinion piece in The New York Times,   The Question Driven Life. We hope this will give you an inside glimpse of the man who we adore and who  inspires us to learn one thing every day. Philip and Katy  are a combined force of inspiration that makes everyone around them  proudly saying…yes we are part of this.

We recently had the distinct pleasure to share with renowned columnist, journalist, and author David Brooks and his family our Leakey Collection Enterprise in Kenya.  They were such troupers making the bumpy, dusty, 4 hour trek from Nairobi on the heels of jet-lag.  After a quick bite of lunch and no rest they toured our workshop, a women’s work site, and our micro-hydro project underway.  We even had time to take them in search of some archeological iron ore smelting sites that Philip has recently located.

A quick hike up the rock kopis for sunset overlooking the magnificent Rift Valley then back for bucket showers under the stars and dinner.  We talked long into the night before they fell into bed.

The next morning was great fun for all since Sarah, David’s wife, had brought a small printer that connected to her camera so she could print photos of the women on the spot.  We were all mesmerized as beautiful photos, one after another, whirred out of the compact device.  For several hours we laughed, posed, and visited while Sarah delighted us all with her ingenious addition to her luggage, which she generously left behind for future fun!

Philip and I were sad to say good-bye and hope they’ll come again for a longer stay as we thoroughly enjoyed our brief time together.  Safari ngema to David and his lovely family and we can’t wait to hear of their adventures during the rest of their travels in this beautiful and dynamic part of the world.

What a joy and a pleasure it was to spend the morning with the ONEMoms, a powerful group of passionate women that you’d all want to count as close friends because of their intelligence and enthusiasm in making a better world.

The ONEMoms, mommy bloggers that traveled to Kenya for ONE.org, are on a mission to bring awareness of what life is like for their counterparts in Kenya.  Their assignment is to bring the reality home to many of you, the daily struggles of a Kenyan mother, but also to bring to light the programs and innovative solutions that are making headway in solving poverty and the issues associated with it. We were extremely honored when we were invited to meet with them in Nairobi to talk about how rural enterprise plays a key role for a promising future.

NOSIRWAI

Nosirwai, 28 years old with six children, wanted her words passed along to the ONEMoms and here is what she said: “My life has changed drastically through my income, I manage my life, settle all bills, and since my income I no longer have to suffer for lack of funds.   There is a great change in lifestyle since before women were only housewives but after introduction of beading Zulugrass they are now home providers in all direction through their income.”  Nomshuki, adds:  “Zulugrass women have a certain recognition in the society since they bring change in the family set up, they do help their husbands in foundation of their families by contributing through their income.”

These few women speak for the hundreds in rural East Africa reaping the benefits and advancements that work opportunity can bring to tens of thousands given the chance.When women have an income they bring their communities alive like rain after a drought.  With their personal needs met together we are tackling larger issues and developing new enterprises.

T.R.A.D.E

Through our Non-Profit T.R.A.D.E., a micro-hydro scheme in the making will provide clean energy enabling a wider range of micro-enterprise such as a high-yield, low impact grazing dairy industry for women.  In 2012 T.R.A.D.E. will initiate a program with local schools to set up sustainable income generating schemes which will increase funding and bring valuable training programs to students in business, enterprise, low-impact farming, and commerce.   T.R.A.D.E. will also be seeking to partner with schools in the United States to help facilitate and design educational programs to extend the enterprise programs unilaterally.

T.R.A.D.E. is working with the community leaders to develop a broad based development plan with the eye towards clean energy, sustainable development of resources, and environmentally sustainable commercial enterprise.

YOUR VOICE

You can become a part of the change and development for so many by purchasing Fair Trade items, by spreading the word of earned income in rural areas and what it means to women and their families to your friends and favorite local boutiques so they will add Fair Trade items to their stores, and add your voice to the invaluable work the ONEMoms are doing for women everywhere.   Join us, become a player on the field, and make a better world!  While your at it check out some of our offerings and the stores who carry them.

~ Katy

We are excited to announce that The Leakey Collection Amani piece was selected for a style feature Balanced Beauty in the August edition of Yoga Journal. Some our favorite musicians are featured as well…check it out to see who they are.

Featured in August 2011 edition of Yoga Journal

One of Katy’s favorite necklaces, “Amani” means strength in Swahili. Our Amani line earns its name from the bold colors in the combination of  Zulugrass, dyed with colorfast, low-impact dyes , TLC Porcelain, fired with lead free glazes and  in our “bush kiln”, and Zuluwood beads made from fallen acacia wood.

Each necklace is 28″ which allows you to wear it multiple ways.

We are releasing  great new colors for Fall and they can be found at the stores below.

Mimas of Warwick
25 Main Street
Warwick, NY 10990
845-986-3399

Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens
One Schenley Park
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412-622-6915

Green Mosaics
228 E. Ponce De Leon Ave.
Decatur, GA 30030
404-371-5777

Kimman’s For Gifts
57 North Beaver Street
York, PA 17401
717.854.0440