Photo provided by Rebecca Sheppard

2008 West Graduate Rebecca Sheppard started an organization called Building Foundations of Hope. Her organization supports women in Uganda through multiple different projects, such as selling homemade jewelry around America.

“The women decided making crafts such as baskets, table clothes, mats and jewelry were things they could do and teach each other how to do them. We decided to purchase their jewelry and some baskets they made,” Sheppard said.

The people in the organization spend an average of two-and-a-half hours to make the jewelry out of paper in large groups.

“They use calendars often because they are thicker. They measure the paper, cut them at angles and using a needle, roll the paper and use glue to hold it together. Then they string them with pretty little glass beads on a necklace and use a sealant to keep it all together,” Sheppard said.

Sheppard created Building Foundations of Hope to support the struggling children, women, and families in Uganda. She has visited twice, her most recent trip in January.

“During the seven amazing weeks in Uganda, I bought the jewelry from the women’s groups that are there. We also started five women’s groups and will continue to purchase items from them and ship them to America,” Sheppard said.

100% of the money stays within the non-profit, going to maintain the women’s groups, fundraising efforts, or shipping the products over. It is through donations, volunteers, fundraising and local groups that her organization is able to do what they do.

“In college, I was part of a wonderful sorority, Gamma Phi Beta, and they have been an amazing resource and I have been able to travel around the country and speak to my sisters and sell our jewelry there. We have some local shops that are interested in selling as well.  For instance, The Out of My Mind Art Studio, in Kimswick, started selling our necklaces a few months ago,” Sheppard said.

AP World History teacher, Kristen Collins helps Sheppard sell some of the jewelry in her classroom, and with the support of Annie Lehman, jewelry will be sold in the teacher’s lounge.

“Parkway West, Parkway Central Middle and Gamma Phi Beta chapters around the country have had a huge hand in helping so far. We would love to partner with organizations, churches or individuals in the near future. We can’t do this alone,” Sheppard said.

Sheppard’s favorite word in the English language is “hope.” She believes hope is what gets people out of bed under the worst possible circumstances.

“I do what I do because I’ve seen what I’ve seen. After being there and seeing how children live, how people struggle everyday just to survive and how much love they still have to give, I knew I could never walk away,” Sheppard said. “My greatest success was seeing the faces of the women when we told them they can! No one has ever come and told these women they have control of their lives. Widows and orphans live in extreme poverty, not educated, not empowered, hungry and ill.”

Sheppard wants to focus her efforts on another country in five years. She also wants to offer internships and summer volunteer experiences leading camps and helping with the projects.

“The biggest thing about Building Foundations of Hope is that we are just building the foundation for these projects. The community and the citizens are the ones in charge of their lives and their future and we want them to be able to take charge and lead these on their own,” Sheppard said.