Archives > Plano Star-courier > News
Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
RSS
Share
Helping others help themselves: Jewelry business began by local woman helps Dominicans
Kelsey Kruzich / Staff Photo: Through Recycle H.O.P.E., paper bead jewelry made by women in the Dominican Republic is sold in America.
By Bill Conrad, bconrad@starlocalnews.com, @Bill_PlanoStar on Twitter
Lois Jacobs never thought she would be in the jewelry business. That all changed in 2008 when Jacobs went on a mission trip to Villa Esperanza in the Dominican Republic.
The poverty that Jacobs saw stayed with her and caused her to do what she could to make a difference in the villager's lives. Once Jacobs returned home she founded Recycle H.O.P.E. (Helping Other People Eat) to enrich the lives of the people she met.
"I saw all of these women who didn't have anything to do to make money," said Jacobs, who lives in Allen but attends the First Baptist Church of McKinney. "I knew that paper bead jewelry was really big in Africa so we decided to teach them how to make jewelry. We returned several times and in 2011 we built a dedicated building for the nine people who work with us."
"I originally taught them a few simple designs, but they have run with it and have come up with their own," Jacobs said. "In 2011, another member of my church taught them how to make bracelets out of parachute cord so they make those now as well."
With Jacobs living in the U.S., the day-to-day operations of the program are handled by Jane Huizinga, a representative of The Samaritan Foundation, a Canadian-based nonprofit that operates throughout the Dominican.
Huizinga said Recycle H.O.P.E. generates about $15,000 annually in sales and has greatly benefitted not only its nine employees, but also Villa Esperanza as a whole.
"We began by distributing the funds as they came in to the workers and eventually built up a sales base that we were able to offer a guaranteed bi-weekly salary to the staff," Huizinga said. "The staff members also give back to their own community of villa Esperanza each Christmas by providing food hampers and Christmas cards to all 51 seniors who live there and cannot go to work due to their age."
Huizinga said what began as a desire to help the poor help themselves, also allows them to have pride in what they create.
"Seeing the beautiful faces of their children and smiles are just one of the benefits of having a job in their own village in which they can provide for their families," she said. "H.O.P.E. is really about helping other people eat."
Jacobs sells most of the jewelry, which begins at $4, through her website, recyclehope1.etsy.com. Each piece of jewelry sold comes with a card with a short biography of the person who made the item.
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
You must register with a valid email to post comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here:
Become a Registered User
- Return to: News «
- Home «
- Top of Page ^
