Thanks for your support of Tuli! We are impact-obsessed and constantly evaluating how to better serve communities in East Africa. In fact, we started Tuli because we were frustrated by the inefficiencies in international aid. We exist to be better auditors of our impact to ensure that our work is good, not just our intentions. In addition to providing fair-wage, long-term jobs, here’s what our money funds:
Education: In East Africa, children cannot attend school unless their parents can pay, and the cost is prohibitively expensive to most. We’ve funded educations from primary school through university. This aid channel is sustainable because it opens children to job opportunities their parents never had, breaking the cycle of poverty.
Business development: Unemployment in both Kenya and Uganda is high, so while most people want to work, opportunities are few. While Tuli’s work to provide jobs to those who make our jewelry is important, we believe it’s equally important that local economies thrive. New businesses create jobs not just for their founders, but also for the communities. This aid channel is sustainable because after a small initial investment, successful businesses create jobs for years to come, rendering any additional aid unnecessary.
No-interest loans: In East Africa, loans carry exorbitant interest rates — upwards of 50% annually — that make them a poverty trap. However, loans are often necessary, especially for those rising out of poverty, so we provide an alternative that bridges a gap without destroying a life. Our loans have funded housing and educations, and once they’re repaid, we’re able to channel the money into other efforts, making it a sustainable, repeatable source of aid.
Christmas party: Donations made during the first two weeks of December go toward the Christmas party we co-host each year in Nairobi for families in the slums. These are community members who don’t work for Tuli, so they are living in poverty. Although this party isn’t directly a long-term solution to poverty, we believe celebrating the season together forges a valuable sense of community and hope that lasts all year.
