In 2005, the Masai Centre for Local, Regional and Global Health opened. It currently serves Guelph, Waterloo Region and the Grey-Bruce Counties with high quality care, education and research for those affected by HIV/AIDS. But its reach extends beyond our own communities. In 2006, the centre launched its “Masai for Africa Campaign”, with a goal to raise $1,000,000 for an AIDS clinic in Lesotho, Africa.

As part of the campaign to raise these funds, the University of Guelph is sourcing simple red and white beaded HIV/AIDS bracelets from the Inina Craft Agency in South Africa. The Inina Craft Agency is operated by the leadership of rural craft producers which comprises entirely African women. Inina is supported in its business efforts by the Centre for Environment, Agriculture and Development at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the largest contact university in South Africa.

It is a simple but elegant business model. Inina sources the raw materials locally at a cost of R 1.50 per bracelet. Rural African women and youth who are affected by or infected with HIV and Aids manufacture the bracelets in their spare time at home. They receive R 2.00 per bracelet (net of costs). To see this in context an individual can easily manufacture 50 bracelets in a day providing a return of R 100.00 and a fifty kilogram sack of maize meal costs R 50.00. It is estimated that this can sustain a family for a month. Inina co-ordinates the distribution of raw materials, collection of finished product, packaging and onward distribution for approximately R 1.50 per bracelet and their success also drives the local economy.

Through its involvement the University of Guelph is making a difference: a difference to the Masai project supporting HIV/AIDS in Lesotho; a difference in leading other universities and local community groups to be involved; a difference to the local economy in South Africa and our university partner the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and a real difference to the lives and families of the women who are making the beads.

Join the students, faculty and staff at Guelph and wear the beads in support of this amazing project.