GFK in Africa: Giraffe key ring

This giraffe keyring is made by members of the ‘U-Turn’ group in a Nairobi slum. The name means a 180-degree change of direction: the young people support one another in earning their living through legal means.

The giraffes, available in various colours, were designed by Steven. He leads the group’s ‘Jewellery and Beads Department’ and developed the keyrings from our templates. They are made together with other members of the group, who share the income among themselves.

It all began with a theatre project promoting nonviolence, before the group had even encountered Nonviolent Communication. Since 2010, many members have taken part in training whenever Netzwerk Gewaltfreie Kommunikation Darmstadt-Südhessen is in Nairobi. Their activities now include a football project with a short NVC session before each match, mushroom cultivation and a sanitation project.

When you buy this keyring, you help secure the livelihoods of the people who made it while also supporting local NVC projects in Kenya.