About Kazuri
KAZURI’s jewelry collection consists of handcrafted and hand-painted ceramic jewelry from Kenya, East Africa.
The founder of KAZURI, Lady Susan Wood (1918-2005) established KAZURI in 1975 with two local women as a small pottery in her backyard. She taught them how to create jewelry from clay, shape and glaze every bead and to develop them into unique pieces of jewelry so they could sell them and earn their own income. The company developed more and more and In 2000, Mark and Regina Newman continued the work from Susan Wood as she was becoming of age. They took over KAZURI. They valued the same mission as Susan Wood: To provide and sustain employment opportunities for disadvanved members of the Kenyan society. To reach this, they focussed also on export of the beautiful KAZURI beads and jewelry.
The clay where the beads are made from, originates from the area near Mount Kenya, making it an authentic piece of jewelry from Kenya.
Today, KAZURI has developed with the same values in mind.The workshop is located on the grounds of the estate of the late Karen von Blixen, known from the classic movie “Out of Africa”. The workshop is a place where the women work, socialize and sing together. These days, nearly 350 women are employed by Kazuri, mostly single mothers.
Kazuri is certificied by the WFTO as Fair Trade. As long as you wear this unique piece of jewelry, you’re supporting this principle of fair trade and you help the women of Kazuri towards a better life and hope for the future.
Kazuri means “small and beautifull” in Swahili, the local language of Kenya.
KAZURI also has a shop nearby the workshop where tourists visiting Kenya and Kenyans can buy KAZURI.
At KAZURI, there is a medical clinic. The employees can go there twice a week for free medicine/medical advise for them and their families. If the nurse thinks a visit to the hospital is necessary, Kazuri absorbs 80% of the medical costs resulting from the hospital visit/hospitalisation.
Today, Kazuri distributes their jewelry also worldwide, making sure the product complies to international standards.
KAZURI is a member of the WORLD FAIR TRADE ORGANISATION
For mor information you can contact us.
Please find below some shots of the Kazuri workshop near Nairobi, Kenya.