SWU business students’ project impacting poverty overseas
Six SWU students in North Augusta partner with Bead for Life (BFL), a project whose purpose is to fight poverty among women and their families in Uganda. They are, from left: Della Hardin, Tequilla Parks, Kim Jones, Vonda Butler, Tamela Mims and Tiea Thomas.
A group of six business students at Southern Wesleyan University’s North Augusta education center have taken on a project that reaches beyond the scope of a typical class project.
They chose to partner with a project whose purpose is to fight poverty overseas while tapping the creative talent of women desperately seeking to provide for their families.
Vonda Butler, Tamala Mims, Della Hardin, Kim Jones, Tiea Thomas and Tequilla Parks, who are enrolled in the university’s master of science in management degree program, chose Bead for Life (BFL), a poverty reduction program whose mission is to create sustainable opportunities for women in Uganda who live in extreme poverty. BFL, a Fair Trade Federation member and a provisional member of the World Fair Trade Organization, connects people worldwide in a circle of exchange that enriches everyone involved.
As they researched ideas for a group project in their Marketing Management class, Butler became inspired by BFL when she saw their jewelry in a magazine. She suggested that the project center on helping BFL and the group agreed.
“We felt it was a viable cause to empower women and to empower their community for better living conditions,” said Hardin.
“Dr. (Bill) Raynor really encouraged our cohort, reminding us this would be an awesome opportunity to help others in need,” Butler said, adding that they are planning a party Aug. 14 where the beads will be sold. Butler also hopes that several individuals who come to the party will be inspired to assist in the effort. All proceeds will be given back to BFL to provide Ugandan women with a source of income, as well as resources that enable them to start a sustainable business and send their children to school.
“Other than hosting the party, we are spreading the word about the situation with Ugandan women, how they are living and how the Bead for Life project is helping them prosper,” Jones said.
Raynor is impressed by the project, commenting that it fits well into the university’s Christian mission.
“These are amazing women doing the Lord’s work,” Raynor said.
“This project has allowed us to focus on our Christian values to help others while educating us about business marketing,” Thomas said.
For details, go to the project web page at beadforlife.org/en/swu-bead-life-circle.
Read the North Augusta Today article updating the class project's progress.
With regional education centers conveniently located across South Carolina, as well as fully online programs for select degrees, Southern Wesleyan University is a Christ-centered, student-focused learning community devoted to transforming lives by challenging students to be dedicated scholars and servant-leaders who impact the world for Christ. For details about degree programs, visit swu.edu.