Yesterday was a tricky day, and sometimes it’s easy to get sucked in to the negativity around you. My husband was just sharing a little nugget that he learnt from his book, and it made a lot of sense. So I thought I’d make the quote into a hand lettered gem for everyone to download for free here!
Past Projects, Future Collaborations
At our last KEJJ meeting, we decided to work towards becoming a social enterprise, with the aim of reaching out to those in need and becoming an advocate for the environment. However, considering how all the co-founders of KEJJ are only doing this part time, we’ll be taking this slow. Below are some of the one-off projects we’ve taken up as well as steps we’re taking towards becoming a socially responsible collaboration thus far:
1. Sustainable Jewellery Project (2014)
Janna went to Thailand to teach the kids of Bethlehem home how to make jewellery out of materials sourced in Thailand itself. The kids learnt to make necklaces using cloth and wood. The necklaces they made were then brought into Singapore for sale to raise funds for the kids’ outreach to the people in Omkoi, a rural village in Thailand.
2. Retire Lazarus Project (2015)
Janna and Kristen returned to Bethlehem home the following year with the same goal of sustainable fundraising in mind and taught the kids how to weave necklaces from recycled cloth and yarn, and bracelets from locally-sourced material. The products sold out in Singapore and raised enough to buy the orphanage a new van to replace Lazarus, their very old secondhand van whose engine already had to be revived once in the past, earning it it’s name.
3. Kristen Kiong x Kins (2017)
In between Chinese New Year and Valentines’ Day, Kristen worked with some of the ladies of Kins by hello flowers! to teach them to paint flowers and galaxies, which were made into postcards to go with Valentines’ Day bouquets. The goal of this little project was to equip the ladies with additional skills to contribute to supporting themselves financially.
4. Gradual switch to environmentally friendly materials (2017)
A new series of fine silver jewellery have been launched. The materials used are mostly recycled precious metal and lab-created stones. We do not support unethical industries that we are aware of and seek to keep ourselves updated on the industries relevant to us.
We’re now looking for more opportunities! If you’re an artist interested in such causes or an organisation interested in hosting a project, do contact us at [email protected] and we’ll consider collaborating!