From Our Hands to Their ‘mineds’

I have a dream job. My job allows me to finance my education while providing the means to educate young women in the developing world.

At mined reCREATIONS, artist, Joanne Jones creates one-of-a-kind, sustainable handbags and accessories, the sales from which provide university scholarships for young, Southern African women. This is where I work as an assistant to the artist.

Joanne’s work reaches from her hands to my mind and the minds’ of the three young ladies we will be supporting this year; two from the former Bantustan, Soweto,South Africa and one from the AIDS-ravaged country of Lesotho.

Joanne’s passion for educating women, conjures the image of a massive chain of women holding hands. This chain of women begins in Canada, arches over the Atlantic Ocean and ends in Southern Africa. This chain of empowered women includes the staff at mined, each customer who purchases a bag, the young women in the scholarship program and the countless women whose lives’ will be changed through the ripple effect that occurs through educating women in the developing world.

Joanne’s passion to give all she has to offer inspires me to strive to do my best and not give my opportunity to receive an education for granted . My experience at mined, sparked a curiosity about Africa in my heart, and has led me to purse a degree in African Studies.

I hope to continue to use my knowledge and lessons learned to continue adding to that chain of empowered women in the future.