Feature Story

Christie Latimer

Feature Story

Female college students across the University of Oklahoma campus, wear colorful beaded bracelets of all different patterns and hues. The bracelets are an accessory to the typical uniform-like dress that girls follow; including athletic shorts, t-shirts, and an array of sweat pants. Just like the popular Nike running shorts, the beaded bracelets have become a staple trend that many have begun to follow. However, the beaded bracelets differ from other fads in that their proceeds benefit a cause greater than the salary of another CEO.

Global Girlfriend, a wholesale corporation sells the bracelets. According to their website, the company “specializes in fairly-traded apparel and accessories hand-made by women and communities in need.” When one buys a bracelet, one percent of the proceeds goes to a micro-grant fund for a woman in Africa. Global Girlfriend attributes the help given to the women in Africa to a partner organization known as Camfed.

The Camfed Seed Money Scheme was founded in 2000. According to the Camfed website, the “Seed Money Program offers training, peer support, grants and microloans to help young women learn economic skills and launch small businesses. This program is uniquely run by young women in Cama, the Camfed Association, creating a bond of female solidarity that is integral to its success.” Also according to the website, Cama’s microfinance program has helped 5,132 women start small businesses, and 1,327 women expand their businesses since 2000. This initiative is helping women in Africa break the cycle of poverty by learning to run businesses, be self-sufficient, and budget money and time.

College girls buying the bracelets because they simply want to fit in are unknowingly impacting women half way across the world. Several local stores such as Lucca and Caymans sell the bracelets. Lucca’s assistant manager, Lindsey Massad, said that the buyers did “absolutely not” understand the benefits of the bracelets. She continued “Most girls don’t realize the bracelets are benefiting women half way across the world. Most of the employees here probably don’t even know what the bracelets benefit. We sell the bracelets in sorority colors, which has become a huge selling point, and which is why most of the girls buy them.” As of March 20, Lucca had sold over twenty five of the beaded bracelets. The bracelets are sold at different prices, depending on the retailer. Global Girlfriend sells them online for $10, but boutiques such as Lucca currently sell them for $14.99, almost 50 percent more. Because of their popularity, many students are willing to spend more to get the bracelets instantly.

Tyler Dikeman, a current Lucca employee, indicated that the stores needed to do a better job advertising the benefits of the proceeds of the bracelets. “... a sign is needed to tell the story of the bracelets and the great things that they are doing. Most people who come in and purchase the bracelets here definitely don’t know what the bracelets benefit.” Both Massed and Dikeman agreed that the stimulation of capitalism and the empowerment of women in Africa were very significant, and needed to be better advertised.

Just as mentioned by Massed, Megan Raitt, a college student, and owner of several beaded bracelets was shocked to find out that they were more than just another accessory. “I got the bracelets for my birthday. I just assumed they were cute and went with everything. I had no idea that there was more to them. I like wearing more than one, and mixing and matching them” Raitt continued, “If people knew the bracelets were for such a good cause, way more girls would wear them.”

The "sorority girl" uniform is easily recognizable, especially in college towns such as Norman. Staple wardrobe items, hairstyles, and now even accessories are standardized amongst the masses of female college students. Typically, the necessity to fit in is frowned upon by most, as our society tends to praise the individual. However, the beaded bracelets, whether girls know it or not, are a trend which differ from the others. The desire to follow the latest fads may be seen as superficial, but the benefits of sticking to the bracelet trend are much bigger than simply fitting in. Women in parts of Africa are receiving life changing benefits due to the sale of these bracelets, and the poverty cycle is slowly being broken. Regardless of why girls are buying the bracelets, they are still buying them. And because of that, our world is slowly becoming a better place.