Eight Year Old Girl Makes Bracelets to Feed Orphans and Support Underprivileged Families Around the World

Zoey grew up hearing stories of her Papa's mission trip overseas. He would say that the number one thing on the mind of the people were what they were going to eat for their next meal, if there was even going to be a next meal.

 

That made a huge impact on her.

 

Zoey's big heart and concern for others drove her to do something to help. Loving to create and design, she decided to make bracelets to sell and raise money for orphaned children in India.

 

In February of 2020, Zoey Harper Design was born! It wasn't long and her younger sister, Graceyn, joined the cause. "They don't have Mommies and Daddies [...] it's just so sad that they don't get any food, so I wanted to help make bracelets with her." Graceyn explains.

 

 

The beads that Zoey and Graceyn use directly support developing communities by offering fair trade prices and ethical trading. Each bead is not only unique and beautiful, but helps people around the globe feed their families and make a living for themselves.

 

"Some of our beads are made out of bone—like fossils!" Zoey says as her eyes widen. These amazing fossilized beads come from the Stegodons, a cousin of the mammoth. Each bead is individually carved from the fossilized Stegodon, an ancient animal that once inhabited areas near the Solo River in central Java.

 

"I like the lava beads." Zoey says.
"They come from real volcanos." Graceyn adds.
"And you can put [essential] oils on the beads. I like to add lavender to my lava stones before bed." Zoey continued.

 

 

Another favorite are the Ancient Roman Glass beads. "They are glass beads from Jesus-times that come from broken perfume bottles." Zoey explains. Each bead is made from ancient cups, vases, as well as perfume containers that have been found in Central Asia along the silk road where the ancient kingdoms of Sogdiana and Bactria once thrived. These amazing beads have a beautiful, natural patina that came from mineral deposits where the glass had been buried for countless years.

 

"There’s also glass that people melt down to form beads." Zoey says. "People make them to recycle their glass." The beads are made using old cola bottles, broken tiles, and even windows, to repurpose the glass and reduce waste in foreign countries including Ghana and the island of Java.

 

Many of her beads come from stones and gems, such as Sea Sediment Jasper, Authentic Turquoise, Amazonite, Jade, Quartz, and Agate. Being able to add stone beads into her work makes it even more special for her.
“I like stones and I’ve always liked rocks." She says. "I have a huge rock collection. There’s some of them that Mommy had when she was little and some that were Daddy’s Grandma’s rocks that I have. She collected them everywhere she went.”

 

 

 

Zoey and Graceyn design each bracelet and put them together by hand.

 

"I really like laying them out and making my own designs." Zoey explains. "It's fun, and it's kind of like art."

 

 

Once the bracelets reach the girls' desired size, they finish them so they are ready to sell.

 

"Mommy helps tie them and Daddy helps glue them." Zoey says. "It’s nice that everyone in the family helps me. And after they’re done, they’re very pretty”

 

 

"I love it when people come in Mommy's shop just to get a bracelet because that means another orphan gets fed!"

 

Each one of Zoey and Graceyn's products that sell feeds an orphan in India for an entire week, so it doesn't take long to make a big difference.

 

 

Since they began in 2020, the girls have sold over 320 bracelets to date and have been able to feed orphans with more than 6 years worth of meals.

 

 

Their incredible creations can be found online at shopbrokenspoke.com and in store at Broken Spoke Boutique on Valentine, Nebraska's Main Street.