The last week of October is Beads Weekin Ghana in West Africa. Exporting beads has become a major source of income for many in poverty stricken areas of Africa, besides being a major source of cultural exchange between Ghana and Italy and other European countries.
Ghana and Italy have long been linked in history. As early as the 15th century, makers of glass beads began shipping their products to Ghana in Western Africa. The beads were important for increasing the status of Chiefs and Queens and were used in ceremonies that marked rites of passage. Italy and Ghana were united by the common language of artistic beauty and their love of the tiny masterpieces.
Now, in a reversal, West Africa is beginning to export locally made beads to back to Italy.
In another part of Africa, Uganda has a thriving bead export business. Paper beads in all sizes and shapes are helping Ugandan women to rise out of poverty. Women in many parts of Africa have few economic opportunities and in Uganda, women are fleeing the civil war and settling near the Ugandan capital, Kampala. Instead of finding a brighter future, they found HIV, starvation and expensive housing. There is hope for these women-Bead For Life.
The organization called BeadForLife began when two American women watched a Ugandan woman making beads from rolled up magazines. The Ugandan woman explained that there was no market for her beads, so she had to work at a local quarry for less than a dollar a day. When the two American women brought some necklaces back to the US and gave them to some friends, a new market was born.
Paper beads are colorful and beautiful and come in many sizes and shapes. Because the market is strong in American, people purchasing these beads are helping women in another culture to survive and rise above the depravations of deficiency. As a result, a new cultural exchange market has been created.
The paper beads are created from recycled magazines, posters or other donated material that is cut, rolled and finished with a water-proof coating. The products made from the beads range from single strands of beads to delicate three strand necklaces.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Buildings , Bridges , Structures Around The World
There are hundreds of thousands of buildings, bridges, and structures that have been built in numerous locations around the world. Each one serves a specific purpose, whether allowing people to travel from one place to another or providing a place for individuals to live, work, or play. Out of all of the building, bridges, and structures in the world, only a few have the distinction of being the most popular ones in the world.
There are many reasons why a building, bridge, or structure may be designated as one of the most popular of their kind. One common reason may be that the appearance of the item attracts a large number of individuals to view it. Whether the item is considered beautiful or just unique, many individuals will flock to view it and take pictures to document that they were there. The appearance of the item may also cause it to be documented in a variety of different mediums, including movies, books, and postcards.
One of the most popular buildings in the world is the Empire State building, located in New York City, New York in the United States of America. This building is the largest building in a city full of large buildings and has helped define the New York City skyline since 1931. Considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, the Empire State Building is nearly 1,500 feet high and has 102 floors. The observation deck, located on the 86th floor of the building, has been visited by more than 110 million individuals.
Another one of the most popular buildings in the world is the Notre Dame de Paris, located in Paris, France. This cathedral has been immortalized in numerous films, plays, and literature and is considered the most familiar cathedral in the world. The features of the cathedral make this building a classic example of French Gothic architecture and the building took nearly 200 years to complete, beginning in 1160 and finished in 1345. It is estimated that more than 12 million individuals visit the Notre Dame de Paris each year.
One of the popular bridges in the world is the Millau Viaduct, located in southern France. The bridge is considered the highest vehicular bridge in the world, spanning the valley of the River Tarn at a maximum height of 1,125 feet at its highest point. Dedicated in 2004, the construction of the bridge has broken three world records; highest road bridge deck in the world, highest mast in the world, and highest pylons in the world. The bridge also has the designation of having the longest cable-stayed deck in the world.
One of the most popular structures in the world is the Great Wall of China, considered the world's longest man building structure made structure and is also the largest man-made structure when considering mass and surface area. In fact, the Great Wall of China is the only man-made structure that is visible from space. The Great Wall stretches over 4,000 miles, stretching from the city of Shanhaiguan in the eastern portion of the country to the city of Lop Nur in the western portion of the country. Because the construction of the Great Wall began before bricks became widely used, the entire length of the Great Wall was constructed of wood, stones, and earth.
There are many reasons why a building, bridge, or structure may be designated as one of the most popular of their kind. One common reason may be that the appearance of the item attracts a large number of individuals to view it. Whether the item is considered beautiful or just unique, many individuals will flock to view it and take pictures to document that they were there. The appearance of the item may also cause it to be documented in a variety of different mediums, including movies, books, and postcards.
One of the most popular buildings in the world is the Empire State building, located in New York City, New York in the United States of America. This building is the largest building in a city full of large buildings and has helped define the New York City skyline since 1931. Considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, the Empire State Building is nearly 1,500 feet high and has 102 floors. The observation deck, located on the 86th floor of the building, has been visited by more than 110 million individuals.
Another one of the most popular buildings in the world is the Notre Dame de Paris, located in Paris, France. This cathedral has been immortalized in numerous films, plays, and literature and is considered the most familiar cathedral in the world. The features of the cathedral make this building a classic example of French Gothic architecture and the building took nearly 200 years to complete, beginning in 1160 and finished in 1345. It is estimated that more than 12 million individuals visit the Notre Dame de Paris each year.
One of the popular bridges in the world is the Millau Viaduct, located in southern France. The bridge is considered the highest vehicular bridge in the world, spanning the valley of the River Tarn at a maximum height of 1,125 feet at its highest point. Dedicated in 2004, the construction of the bridge has broken three world records; highest road bridge deck in the world, highest mast in the world, and highest pylons in the world. The bridge also has the designation of having the longest cable-stayed deck in the world.
One of the most popular structures in the world is the Great Wall of China, considered the world's longest man building structure made structure and is also the largest man-made structure when considering mass and surface area. In fact, the Great Wall of China is the only man-made structure that is visible from space. The Great Wall stretches over 4,000 miles, stretching from the city of Shanhaiguan in the eastern portion of the country to the city of Lop Nur in the western portion of the country. Because the construction of the Great Wall began before bricks became widely used, the entire length of the Great Wall was constructed of wood, stones, and earth.
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