Ubuntu

Jewelry handmade in Brooklyn to raise money for an orphanage in Haiti and children in NYC. I truly believe this world needs so much more kindness.

I started Ubuntuu in 2015 after my friends and I went on a missions trip to Haiti. I went thinking I was going on this trip to help others, to give my love, time, and efforts to them, but in the end these people changed my life forever. I met a woman named Gertrude who had founded an orphanage in Port Au Prince after the earthquake and had taken in as many children as she could find who needed a h

ome and someone to care for them. Many of the children have special needs and their hearts are so beautiful, their joy contagious. Needless to say I fell in love with them and I went home wanting more than anything to stay in touch with them and help however I could. Living in NYC newly graduated from college and newly married meant I didn't have much money but I did have a lot of beads because of my love for jewelry-making as a hobby. What began as a few tassel bracelets and a desire to give back blossomed into Ubuntuu. Since starting in May of 2015, we have begun to sponsor 2 children at Gertrude's Orphanage in Port Au Prince by donating 50% from every purchase. We sponsor Wilicia and Jean-Daniel monthly and our donation provides food, clean water, clothing, education, and physical therapy. I have loved sponsoring these amazing kids and being able to make a difference in their lives, but it always makes me wish I was closer to them geographically. I wanted to be able to give back to kids that were in my own community, kids I could connect with a build relationships with. That is why this summer we decided to start a scholarship program for a group of children who are close to my heart from Astoria, NY. My husband and I are part of a group that teachers a leadership class for a group middle school kids between the ages of 11-15 we meet with them weekly during the school year to talk about tough issues and be a safe place to hang out with their friends and learn. We are working to provide a scholarship for each child who participates in the class to receive upon returning to school in the Fall. This scholarship with help with the cost of school supplies and back to school clothes. Ubuntu (pronounced uu-BOON-tuu) is a Ngunti Bantu term from South Africa that can be translated to "I am because we are" or "human kindness". It is a philosophy that encourages love and kindness towards all mankind. I believe that we should love others, even strangers, and go above and beyond when it comes to helping our fellow man like the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37. We are all connected. We are all human. Let's fight to make the world a better place with our greatest weapon: love.

12/18/2023

Thank you so much for including us on this list!!

12/11/2022

I made this necklace for a few reasons:

1. I want every woman to feel like a total babe

2. My husband calls me babe and I confess I love it 😂

3. I call him babe WAY more and it makes me laugh that we became “that couple” that has pet names for each other so we never use each other’s real names 😂

I have a few more of these pearl letters though, what are other cute words I should try on this necklace?

12/07/2022

3 ways to gift our Tiny Compass Monogram necklace:

1. Graduation Gift: a way to represent where your loved one has come from and celebrate where they’re going 🥹

2. Friendship Necklaces: buy 2 or more for you and the friend(s) who don’t live close but whose love and friendship endures despite the distance 💖😭

3. World Traveler Gift: for yourself or for the friend who never seems to stay at home, this is a perfect gift for anyone who loves to hop on a plane or in a car and go see the world ✈️🚗

And, great news, this super cute necklace is part of the holiday sale! Click the link in our bio to shop 😘

05/14/2022

NYC Fam 💖 I’m at all@day today with 💃🏽☀️ come visit us!!

05/07/2022

Next Saturday 💖💃🏽🎉!! Can’t wait to see y’all in person at for my sample sale with 💛💛💛 The women of GenHappy are some of the most intelligent, innovative, and KIND women I have ever had the pleasure of working with! Their professional backgrounds are incredibly diverse and their vision for GenHappy is so, so beautiful. I can’t wait to pop up with them and partner with a local woman-owned boutique!! If you’re in NYC come through!!! 💖💖💖

05/05/2022

NYC friends 💖 Next Saturday, May 14th I’m popping up at with my friends at for a sample sale!! I’ll be selling some one of a kind samples and some special small runs of designs that have an interesting story💖

Before the pandemic, I bought tons of beads locally in NYC and 90% of those stores closed down for good during the lockdown. Pre-pandemic I would have purchased test orders of beads, worked through the design process and then gone out and purchased stock of the beads from my favorite designs. I’m heartbroken for those shops but looking on the bright side that now there are some very special pieces made from these test orders of beads that are 2, 3, and 4 of a kind that would be fun to own or give as gifts and help our kids in Haiti!

We’re also giving a portion of the proceeds from the sample sale to so it’s a feel good shopping experience all around 🥰🎉

If you don’t live in NYC, watch my stories on Saturday and Sunday to purchase via Instagram 💖if you follow me here or my personal account you know I love a sale on my stories 😂

Can’t wait to see y’all in person!! 🎉💖🎉💖🎉💖🎉

04/01/2022

Hey fam!!

I’ve been taking a little break from posting but I am so grateful for all your purchases during the past few months!! You have kept us going and kept our kids at fully sponsored every single month of 2022 so far! Thank you, thank you, thank you! All of the support means the world to me because of what it means for our kiddos 💛 I could not do this without you all sharing and buying gifts for your friends and family, you have no idea how much I appreciate it.

A busy time is coming up for us! Mother’s Day is actually a really busy time of year which is always fun for me :) I love packing orders that are gifts because 1. Giving gifts is SO fun and 2. Receiving a gift in the mail is so fun! Everyone loves (fun) mail, right? 😂 I love how much y’all love giving Ubuntu as gifts and I think it’s because it’s a gift you can feel great giving! A gift makes the receiver feel loved and you can also know as the giver that your purchase is making a huge difference in the lives of our kids 💛 Every month that we get to support them is a huge blessing and y’all help make that happen!

So thank you all again from the bottom of my heart! I’ll be making new things and sharing them, doing a few trunk shows and maybe some events this summer in NYC. Promise to keep you posted and make some new cute things for y’all to wear this summer 😘

Xoxoxo Jos

12/12/2021

One more pair of these bbs!! Totally sterling silver gold plated so perfect for sensitive ears 💛 AND the perfect gift because you get to give something beautiful and give to the children at Notre Madison Orphanage 🥰 Win win!! 💃🏽🙌🏽

12/10/2021

I’m so incredibly grateful for every holiday customer! I can’t even tell you how every order is so appreciated and I honestly say a little hallelujah every time I get one 😂 Not only is it so fun to see customers enjoy the things that I make, but my heart really soars knowing that each order makes it possible for us to sponsor our kids at Notre Maison Orphanage. I check my sales daily and do the math like “Ok, cool, we made this much, that means the kids are good for this much longer.” (I’m not a math girl by any means, but this math I do enjoy 😂) My dream is to cover them until they turn 18, my dream is to pay for college for each of them, my big big dream is making sure every child at the orphanage is sponsored and has college paid for. I have no idea how to do this, I would love for it to be a reality, but for now I’m doing what I can for these 5 kids and each of you is a part of that. You help every time you like, comment and save a post. You help every time you share with your friends and family what we’re doing at Ubuntu. You help when you purchase gifts or purchase for yourself. So thank you to each of you for being on this journey with me. Thank you and Happy Holidays 💛💛💛

12/03/2021

These colorful pearl necklaces are some of my faves and they’re on sale! They’re the perfect length to sit at your collar bone and be worn solo or with tons of layered necklaces 💛 Available in multiple colors with all natural baroque pearls ✨

11/28/2021

I keep restocking these butterfly earrings because everyone loves them so much!! Still a few available on the site 💛 The earrings come in soft purple, soft pink and white so they’ll go with basically anything which is perfect if you’re a lazy dresser like moi 😂💛

11/27/2021

The sale continues! Shop this dainty seed bead and baroque pearl necklace now for 💛 Every purchase means the world to us because of what it means for our kids in Haiti!

Address

Brooklyn, NY
11201

Website

http://www.shopubuntu.etsy.com/

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