Artists in Uganda create a wide variety of beautiful artisan products. From handwoven baskets using designs passed down from mother to daughter to paper bead jewelry with each bead meticulously rolled by hand to incredible eco-friendly designs made from Ankole long-horned cow horns, the ingenuity of Ugandan artists seems limitless. As Cruciform Life International Ministries began, the needs in the community Cruciform wished to help exceeded funding from donations. And so CruciFORMED was born. All proceeds CruciFORMED receives from the sale of these products is directly reinvested in Uganda to help women, children, and other vulnerable persons.
Throughout the year, Lori works to procure a wide variety of beautiful creations. Where possible, items are purchased directly from the artist to ensure a fair trade price is paid. Some products, such as the Ajuna jewelry and baskets from Uganda Crafts 2000, are bought at Fair Trade Certified small companies. In each instance, CFLIM president Lori Thomas Weber has personally visited the worksite and often works directly with the artists to fine-tune designs to suit American preferences.
Whether you find your CruciFORMED crafts at a retail location, a pop-up shop, church sale, or a craft fair, you can feel great about your purchase, knowing it does double good! First, by buying CruciFORMED crafts you have helped provide a job to a person in Uganda. The majority of the artists we buy from are women who sorely need the work to pay rent and buy food for their children. Then you do double good because 100% of the proceeds CruciFORMED receives are directly invested in helping women, children, and other vulnerable persons in Bulenga, Uganda, through Cruciform Life International Ministries’ various programs. To learn more about Cruciform’s work in Uganda, please visit www.CFLIM.org or check us out on Facebook.