The Didi Jewelry Project

Our mission is to create beautiful jewelry while helping women in India create beautiful lives for themselves. We work with women who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS by teaching them jewelry making and then selling their products. The main goal of The Didi Jewelry Project is to provide these women with full time employment so that they are able to support themselves and their families and lead positive, confident lives.
Laurel Gunnarson founded The Didi Jewelry Project in 2012. The Didi Jewelry Project works hand-in-hand with Aashiana, a non-governmental organization in New Delhi that serves those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Aashiana provides monthly food rations, children’s programs, AIDS outreach education, and emotional support to over 45 families. Through the sales of our jewelry in stores, online, at craft fairs, and through Peruvian Connection and To the Market, we are helping these women and other families affected by HIV/AIDS.
Aashiana’s funding has dried up and due to COVID-19, these families are unable to work. Cases are rising every day in New Delhi. Since at least of member of each of these families are HIV positive it is very risky for the ladies to be out in the world because their immune systems are compromised. Due to these hard times we have set up a GoFundMe for these families. You Can donate here:
Your donations will help these families meet basic living expenses, food, water and rent. Our aim is to help them feel safe and less vulnerable. We also strive to keep them loan-free during this pandemic and discourage panicked mass movement back to their villages which potentially exposes them to COVID-19
You can learn more about Aashiana here http://aashiana-theshelter.in/
Your support will help change the lives of underprivileged women and children. Thank you!