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Ishmael and Helen have been on an incredible journey together for almost 20 years.
It’s been shaped by gratitude, resilience, creativity, and a whole lot of hard work. Along the way, they’ve faced plenty of challenges — but with determination and heart, they’ve overcome them, and that spirit is at the core of Omondi Jewellery.
Omondi Jewellery is handmade in Kibera, one of Africa’s largest slums, by Ishmael — a talented artisan who grew up there and has worked hard to build a better life for his family through creativity and determination.
Helen founded Zuri Design after volunteering in East Africa and seeing the incredible skill and innovation in some of the toughest conditions. Her fair trade business has supported hundreds of artisans over the last 22 years.
Helen and Ishmael met through a Zuri Design project training former street boys in jewellery making — and Omondi Jewellery was born.
Each piece is crafted from recycled and natural materials like cow bone, brass, banana fibre and bottle tops. We’re all about bold design, sustainable choices, and real impact.
We’d love for you to be part of our journey.
Bold design. Real stories. Lasting impact. 2006
Omondi Jewellery – handmade in Kibera, Nairobi.
Omondi Jewellery is handcrafted in Kibera, one of Africa’s largest urban slums, right in the heart of Nairobi, Kenya. It’s a tough place to grow a business, let alone build one from scratch — but that’s exactly what Ishmael has done. Born and raised in Kibera, he’s faced more than his fair share of challenges. Through pure determination, talent, and grit, he’s managed to create a life not just for himself, but for his young family too — moving them out of the slum and into a brighter future.
Helen started Zuri Design after spending time volunteering in East Africa. The experiences she had — especially visiting slums like Kibera — opened her eyes to the incredible creativity, talent and innovation being forged in some of the hardest living conditions imaginable. That’s what inspired her to start a fair trade business — one that, over the last 22 years, has created work for hundreds of people from disadvantaged communities.
Helen met Ishmael through a Zuri Design project that funded training for former street boys in the art of making jewellery from cow bone — and from that connection, Omondi Jewellery was born.
Our pieces are made using a mix of natural and recycled materials — things like brass, cow bone, banana fibre, and bottle tops. We keep it innovative, we keep it sustainable, and we always keep it real. We know what designs work, and we know just how much of a difference each order makes in a place like Kibera.
The trials and tribulations over the years have led us to this moment — launching a jointly owned business that brings the very best of our jewellery to the UK, as a team.
We have big dreams for this venture, driven by a strong desire to see what we started 20 years ago reach its full potential — and we’d love you to be part of that journey.
Our jewellery is as close to zero waste as possible, and we always have the environment in mind with everything we create.
With your support, the possibilities are limitless.
We would love to show you more of what we do. Please check our FAQ page or fill in the contact form below. We will set you up a wholesale account to access the full range and prices.
