A TRANSFORMATIVE YEAR
As we reflect on 2019, 10 key moments stand out or "Wins" as we like to call them, helped define our path into 2020. We are thrilled to share them with you on behalf of our amazing teams in Kenya & Austin.
Thank you to all of our Tribe Members for all of your love & support.
We cannot wait to see what 2020 will bring us!
Children's Wellness Centre
Thanks to the dedication and generosity of our global Tribe of Ubuntu support, we were able to break ground on the new Ubuntu Life Children's Wellness Centre (CWC), a combined special needs school and pediatric medical facility that will generate unimaginable impact for the children in our region and across Kenya.
Ubuntu Life Kids Graduation
Many of the students in our programs have developmental disabilities like epilepsy & spina bifeda. They are seen by their community as "cursed" and cannot attend mainsteam schools. Our ultimate goal is to get these beautiful children education, therapy, and healthcare to empower them to reach developmental milestones.
In July, our entire Kenyan community came together to celebrate the first graduation of 12 Ubuntu Kids from our programs, honoring their amazing accomplishments. By combating the local stigma of special needs, we delight in making our children and their families feel loved and empowered as they start the next chapter of their lives!
Tribe Gala Success
In September, Ubuntu Life hosted our annual Tribe Party gala in downtown Austin, where partygoers dressed in safari-chic attire, sipped on classic Kenyan cocktails and feasted on a traditional Swahili spread. This celebration generated a record breaking amount thanks to generous gifts from the Street 16 Foundation, the Thom Foundation, and all of our incredible sponsors and Tribe who came out to support our pediatric health and education programs in Kenya.
Austin HQ Showroom
We are excited to be finally bringing a little piece of East Africa's beauty to Austin. What an amazing opportunity to have customers and the Austin community identify with the brand in our very own HQ! We love when our community interacts with the space & us personally. Our goal is to create a space that feels like home, where people want to be themselves & #liveubuntu.
Maker Mum Studio
Every so often you need to give yourself a refresh & that is exactly what we did to the Maker Mum studio in Maai Mahiu. With our product line expanding, we need a better way for customers to come and see our Maker Mums in action and also to interact with the product. We stripped down, painted the walls & expanded our Afridrille production upstairs giving everyone more room. We are thrilled with the outcome & can not wait for you to come visit!
New Product // Lamu Mule & Mara Backpack
After successfully creating the Afridrille, we could not wait to dive into the next project. The Lamu Mule & Mara Backpack was over a year in the making. From sketches, to samples, to wear testing - we went through every detail to make sure our new products hit the mark. The Lamu Mule is a fun and playful addition to our collection of Afridrilles while, the Mara Backpack is made for the urban adventurer. Welcome to the line up!
Jeremiah & Mary Kuria at ACL
It is always blissful to have Jeremiah & Mary in Austin! Their beautiful presence made a huge impact at both our annual Tribe Party & Austin City Limits Music Festival. Their time here is never long enough but we made sure that they got the full Austin, TX experience!
First Family-to-Family Team in Kenya
Our Family-to-Family team was made of absolute rock stars! We formed this sub group of our Tribe as a way for families to share a more intimate connection with our families in Kenya. This was our maiden voyage filled with visits to our Ubuntu Kids program, house visits to our Maker Mums homes, celebrations with our Maasai community and an overall deep dive into all things Ubuntu as well as walks with giraffes and zebras along the beautiful Lake Naivasha. We look forward to expanding this program!
Partnership with Canvas 1839 CBD Oil & Cream
In December, Canvas 1839 x Ubuntu Life launched a line of CBD products, for which part of the proceeds support the Ubuntu Life pediatric health programs. We are extremely proud to partner with this organization who align with our shared goal of helping people live well, without compromise. Be on the lookout for upcoming partnered products with proceeds benefiting Ubuntu Life.
New Partners // Whole Foods, Free People, Aerie, Kukito
2019 was a key year for Ubuntu Life partnerships. Not only did we expand our teams internally but we were fortunate enough to create some beautiful connections & endeavors along the way.
Stay tuned in 2020. You'll be seeing a lot more of us!