Celebrate World Tourism Day - UNWTO a day to focus on Tourism for Inclusive Growth

The World is opening again and we're ready to travel.  Love Is Project is proud to be recommended by the US Embassy in Kenya as a Social Impact Shopping partner.  

To quote:

"The Love Is Project, founded by American social entrepreneur Chrissie Lam, is one such brand, and it was born right here in Kenya.  

In 2008, Lam took a sabbatical from her corporate fashion job to travel the world and work with NGOs in Rwanda.  While there, she visited Kenya and fell in love with the creativity, innovation and craftmanship of the locals. 

In 2012, she decided to leave the corporate world, with a mission to work with artisans around the world to create products and connect them to brands for market access.

Inspired by the bold colors used by the Maasai tribe, Chrissie says, "I designed a simple bracelet featuring the word 'LOVE' in traditional Maasai beadwork. I had the equally simple goal of helping to create jobs for their community.  With that bracelet in hand, I asked two strangers on a flight to Russia what love meant to them. I then profiled them on Instagram.  thanks to the grassroots support of influencers, what started as a personal travel project soon transformed into a viral social media campaign."

Fast forward, Love Is Project has made over $6 million in sales and is producing bracelets and necklaces from ten countries: Indonesia, India, Ecuador, Guatemala, Colombia, Mexico, Vietnam, the Philippines and even Bhutan.

With more than 200 female artisans helping their families and communities developing sustainable enterprise and livelihoods in conservation of their heritage craftsmanship and way of living.

Love Is Project has been recognized by Oprah, CNN Philippines, Shark Tank,

Forbes Next 100 list and was featured by FaceBook for Women's history month

The US Embassy in Kenya has more kind words for Love Is Project and it's mission of Spread the LOVE.

"What makes Lam so notable is that she doesn't just create jobs for the women who make her bracelets; she also reinvests her proceeds back into the communities, providing needs such as literacy programs where education for women is lacking or socially discouraged, solar energy projects where electricity is needed, establishing water and food security access to healthcare and maternity care, and many other noble causes that truly enhance the communities to which her artisans belong."

 

Love Is project works with a number of groups in Kenya: Samburu Trust, Wildlife Works in Tsavo, Ngong Hills Groups and artisans in Kibera, near Nairobi and one of USAID's partners, The Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT)