Lent Activity: Magazine Beads

Many impoverished families live in survival mode, often forced to decide between putting food on the table and sending their children to school. They are unable to consider long-term solutions because they must concentrate on fixing immediate problems and simply getting their children through each day.

Before getting involved with the Diocese of Karonga’s programs in Malawi, Finess was one of those parents. She couldn’t afford to buy enough food for her family, so paying school fees for her two oldest children wasn’t even something she could consider.

“Life was very challenging,” Finess shared. “My two oldest children were [in high school], and they had to drop out of school to work in agriculture and earn money. That was the only way we could survive.”

That decision troubled Finess because she hadn’t been able to attend school past eighth grade, and she feared history was about to repeat itself. She felt her family was trapped in a cycle of poverty that they might never escape.

But that’s when God intervened on their behalf. The local diocese’s agriculture and microenterprise programs opened up a new and exciting possibility that allowed Finess to earn a more sustainable income.

Through these programs, Finess learned how to increase her crop yield. She also opened a small shop in front of her home, where she sells dry goods. These include salt, soy, soap, eggs, beans, prepackaged snacks and cooking oil.

Working creatively and understanding a market’s needs are crucial to operating a business, and the diocese is helping women in both areas.

RELATED: Lent Vision Board

African families generate income in many creative ways, including by making magazine beads, a popular craft. Children often make these beads to create simple jewelry they can either sell or use as a form of self-expression. You and your children can make the same beads and use them to fashion your own necklaces, bracelets or even rosaries!