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Importing from Africa. Glamorous, eh? (Luckily, the gorgeous bags inside were in perfect shape.) It was expensive to get this box to the United States from Kenya! The cost of shipping is Kupendiza's biggest business challenge in this start-up phase. When we solve this one, a great deal more of the proceeds will be available to fund our partners' missions. Which is why we're in business, folks! Ideas? Leads? Please send them our way!

What does a small community do when a steady stream of orphans begins showing up on doorsteps because their parents have succumbed to AIDS? When the children themselves may be HIV-positive and thereby unwanted, subject to discrimination even by other relatives? Eunice Wangari Muchina, pictured left, and her sister Pauline Muchina, founded the African Women and Youth Initiative (AWYI).  Together with their other sisters, their mother, and a growing circle of relatives, neighbors, and friends in their small city of Nakuru, Kenya - whom they train to do the intricate AWYI beadwork you can see on Kupendiza.com - they started handcrafting their exquisite handbags to support the Future African Leaders...

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We did throw a heck of a party on November 20, 2015. And with that we were off and running on our Kupendiza business! All kinds of friends and associates came to Dolly Pascual's place in Old Town Alexandria for our launch party. They shopped, they networked, they profiled for selfies! (Click to watch the video below.)  Thank you to everybody who was there with us at the beginning! We adore you! Karen