Tukula: Helping women grow
Tukula means “we grow”. Helping women grow is something that accessories label Tukula does well. Hiring young women who are trained as seamstresses, but can’t find consistent work in Uganda. As well as offering them stable work in an encouraging environment they are also given a fair wage, medical care and access to savings programs.
The label also help women that are struggling with the pressure of school fees, medical fees and daily expenses by offering them paid internships which ensures they get a job after they finish their studies; these women are able to work with joy and confidence.
Tukula founder Melissa Terranova, and the first Tukula member Bennah, created the first collection together and sold the products online. They soon realised they needed to employ another person to help complete orders, that person was Esther, a mother of five who desperately needed work. After a few months, Esther started hiring women from the local sewing school to help her keep up with the Tukula products. Each week the women are paid for the work that they do. This means that the women get paid upfront and they don’t have to wait for the products to sell. They have a team of people in America that volunteer, who promote and sell the products. All profits from the sales go back into the program to benefit the women.
Products include accessories, handbags and clutches, head wraps and cosmetic bags. Each item is made from printed fabric that is called “kitenge”. Due to the inconsistency of the prints, each item is “limited edition” which give them more of a one-of-a-kind quality. All materials are purchased locally, so they are able to help Uganda’s economy from start to finish.
What brings these women together is their desire to better the future for themselves and their families; you can do your bit by purchasing items from the Tukula website and know that by doing little your actually helping a lot. Tukula is dedicated to giving these ladies the opportunity to reach their goals.
For more information or to purchase Tukula products, click here.
Kelsey Butler
Photos: Courtesy of Tukula
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