A Nonprofit Jewelry Brand Built on Employment, Not Aid
Our name means “She Works” in a local Ugandan dialect, and that belief shapes everything we do.
We exist to create dignified employment for women through vertically integrated manufacturing in Uganda. Every piece is handcrafted by women earning sustainable wages, building long-term stability for themselves and their families.
As an organization, we operate as a nonprofit powered by commerce. Sales fuel impact. Employment drives change.
Our Mission
Our mission is simple and clear: Create sustainable employment for women through beautifully designed jewelry.
We believe dignity is created through meaningful work. We believe economic sustainability creates generational change. And we believe premium design and ethical production should never be separated.
By pairing modern, globally inspired design with long-term employment, we build a brand where beauty and dignity coexist.
Our Founder
Brittany Underwood founded Akola with a vision to merge premium design with sustainable employment, proving that a nonprofit jewelry brand can operate with both excellence and impact.
By building a sales-driven, vertically integrated model, she created a framework where women artisans are not beneficiaries, but professionals.
Where We’re Headed
Akola is expanding our artisan employment, deepening our design innovation, and building a nationwide community of hosts, partners, and customers who believe commerce can create change.
As we look ahead, our focus remains clear:
- Grow sustainable employment
- Elevate premium, globally inspired design
- Strengthen community-driven retail experiences
Who is Akola FAQs
Is Akola a nonprofit organization?
Yes. Akola operates as a nonprofit jewelry brand powered by an employment-based model.
Rather than relying on donations, our impact is sustained through product sales, creating long-term economic opportunity through commerce.
How is Akola different from fair trade brands?
While many fair trade brands focus on ethical sourcing standards, Akola goes further through a vertically integrated, employment-based structure. We directly employ women artisans within our own manufacturing facilities in Uganda, providing consistent wages, skill development, and long-term stability.
Our model centers on employment as the pathway to dignity and economic sustainability.
How does buying jewelry support employment?
Every Akola purchase directly fuels our revenue-driven model. Sales support artisan wages, training, and production infrastructure, allowing us to expand employment opportunities as our business grows.
In other words, when you buy jewelry, you’re participating in a system designed to create sustainable jobs.
Where are Akola pieces made?
Akola pieces are handcrafted in Jinja, Uganda, along the banks of the Nile River. Our vertically integrated production model allows us to maintain quality, ethical standards, and meaningful employment within the communities where our artisans live and work.