Brand Review: Akola

I went to a panel this week about the power of business to drive social impact in the world. With the lens of corporate social responsibility, representatives from several big companies sat in chairs with microphones and eloquently spoke about how their corporate programs create social impact. It all sounds so nice and grand, but it also can sound pretty distant. Impact is an elusive word the world I work in throws around A LOT. Even if a company is doing more than simply checking off social responsibility on their public relations to do list, it often just feels like numbers on a page. Right when I was settled into my cynicism, a gentleman who had graduated from a school funded by a corporate social responsibility program got up to speak. Prior to this school, he had been an orphan with limited opportunities in a broken community. And now? He is an intern at a US bank and a rising senior at an Ivy League school. Perhaps even more importantly, he is a confident and happy man who believes in himself and has a vision for changing his community and the lives of many like him.

I don’t want us to get over confident, but whenever I hear a single story, I’m struck by how truly transformative our power has the potential to be. It reinvigorates me to not miss my chance to do something MORE. Impact doesn’t have to be grandiose. And maybe it is even more grand if it is the single life of one child.

And that’s where we get to Akola. Ya’ll. I don’t want to be lackadaisical with my praise, but Akola is the sort of company that makes me giddy. Translated as “She Works,” everything about the way Akola operates is structured to empower women. It isn’t just a company run by a female, or jewelry made by female artisans, it’s also empowerment through the entire supply chain including the materials, assembly, and distribution. More than that, Akola is committed to 100% impact, which means that they invest all profits back into the lives of their employees and run holistic programs as an addendum to the core company operations. Akola employs women in both Dallas and Uganda. While the programs are slightly unique based on the location, the basic principles are the same: empowering strong woman that are able to rise above the poverty line and support themselves and their families while promoting lasting change in their communities. This isn’t a program that just says they are doing good-- they are actually radically changing lives.

Here is what it looks like in practice: Ethical, raw materials are sourced in Uganda (and elsewhere) and Ugandan woman are trained to turn those materials into the building blocks of the beautiful jewelry. That jewelry is then assembled by women in both Dallas and Uganda. The woman in Dallas than facilitate the necessary distribution to get the jewelry to their loving customers (me!) Employees in Dallas are often woman with criminal records who are traditionally denied entry to the workforce. In Uganda, Akola employees women from undeserved communities without opportunity to earn money.

Akola does so much more than just providing jobs... it wraps their employees in holistic care. In Dallas, Akola offers financial literacy training, leadership development, childcare resources, as well as monthly forums and opportunities to be an Akola Spokesman. In Uganda, employees have access to the Akola Academy, with programs in wellness, health, ministry, and financial stewardship. At Akola, the women are truly at the center of everything.

Since its inception, Akola has employed over 500 woman and estimates that those women have then transformed the lives of 4,000. 98% of employees are meeting now able to meet not only their own basic needs of themselves but also those of their children and family. These Akola employed women earn 5 times more than the poverty line. Sure, that’s the impact in numbers. But the impact in the individual lives? You can read all Ampire Charity’s story, an Akola employee in Uganda who has worked for Akola for 7 years and was even inspired to start a school in her community.

Akola is a wonderful nonprofit. Even better, it’s an awesome jewelry maker. 100% of the profits that you spend on all of the items below will be invested to transform the lives of women in Dallas and Uganda.

ONE: I have been a bit skeptical of the choker trend that has been recycling through as of late. It reminds me a bit of begging my mom to let me buy things from the Delia’s catalog (R.I.P) … But this one seems incredibly sophisticated and outfit elevated. Plus, my mom wouldn’t ban me from wearing it.
TWO: What is better than one bracelet? Three bracelets. Obviously. These are made of beautiful while bone with gold accent beads because isn’t the world just a little bit better with gold accents?
THREE: I love a statement necklace-- well, I love statement jewelry, but in the day to day world, statement necklaces are the way to go. Unlike bangles or earrings, they won’t impede any typing or phone talking efforts.This necklace would be perfect to add to my ever growing collection. And it just so happens to be in my three favorite colors: white, black and gold.
FOUR: Phew! I do actually like color! I was beginning to worry I might have developed a color allergy. Akola also has a wonderful collaboration with Neiman Marcus. While the pieces might be a bit more expensive, I have been able to snag a couple of pieces on sale-- like this piece I have been wearing on pretty constant rotation (it's sold at at the moment). This necklace screams summer to me.
FIVE: Each piece of Akola’s one bead collection comes with the story of one of the 400 women who helped to make it. Paper beads are often used in jewelry across East Africa. These dainty earrings isolate that single bead to represent a single story symbolizing a powerful message.
SIX: A black and white necklace with a gold dipped horn at the end? Sign me up. This necklace is styled on the website with Number Three above… wonderful layering potential or just as dreamy on its own.

And here is why Akola is worthy of all this praise (and more!)