Dipatus Beads Women Group

Dipatus Beads Women Group is Kenyan craft group committed to traditional and innovative bead making.

Location

Dipatus is the town centre of Ngareng’iro in Laikipia County in Kenya. It’s a small rural town close city of Nanyuki and Ol Pejeta Conservancy a beautiful natural reserve, home to protected African animals.

Here, group members meet to produce handmade beaded jewellery, fashion accessories and house decorations. The group was officially registered as a women self-help group in 2023.

Group Members

What makes this group strong is a diversity of it’s members. They come different cultural backgrounds of Maasai, Kikuyu, Turkana, Samburu and Borana tribes. This reflect in their bead works by mixing influences and aesthetics of individual tribes.

Most of the members of this group have been making traditional bead works since very young age. As a group they strive to improve the traditional craft but also implement contemporary fashion and art trends.

Group Goal

The goal of Dipatus Beads Women Group is to create a sustainable income for its members by selling handmade beaded products to a local customer and abroad.

Future Plans

Future plan of the group is to purchase local land and develop Dipatus Art Center. Dipatus Art Center will serve as a hub for learning, practice and preservation of unique cultural traditions including signing, dancing and bead making.