Some glass beads are more beautiful than others but surely the most beautiful of all are those that help people to a better life. This is the fruit of a project set up by Lise Aagaard Copenhagen (Trollbeads) to teach exiled Tibetan refugees in Dharamsala to provide for themselves.
This great story is yet another example of how special Trollbeads really are! Making the Universal Unique beads for Trollbeads makes it possible for many Tibetan refugees to provide for themselves and their families.
It started in 2005 when Lise Aagaard Copenhagen began a ‘Self Sustainable Business Project’ in cooperation with a Tibet Charity. The idea for the project was to teach destitute Tibetan refugees ‘to catch fish’ as opposed to ‘give them fish’.
In May 2005, Lise traveled to Dharamsala and taught them how to make glass beads. She then bought all the beads they produced and continued to work with them in perfecting their technique for over 6 years. She also provided education on how to run their own businesses.
The result of this project are the absolutely gorgeous UNIVERSAL UNIQUE beads from Trollbeads. These beads are high-quality, glass beads that fit on ALL bracelets including Pandora and Chamilia.
Lise explained that she always experienced so much pleasure working in her trade and thought that sharing her knowledge and passion in a way that could help others was a fantastic opportunity.
The manager of the project was appointed by his holiness the Dalai Lama and started with Lise visiting Dharamsala in May 2005 when she taught bead making to 12 women and men.
'Tibet Beads’, as the project is called, continues to make beads and ship them to Denmark, where Lise Aagaard uses them in her Universal Unique collection. The style of the “Tibet Beads” reflects the Tibetans own preferences for color and design, making them individually unique.
Today, more than 24 families make a living producing this jewelery. On the main street in Dharamsala, the Tibetans have even opened their own store from which they sell their jewelery. They have also opened a dairy, a carpentry and a tailoring business as a result of the training they received from the program!
Way to go Trollbeads!
