Akawelle: Also Known as ‘Love’
A 2003 photo from the coverage of Liberia’s civil war:
From this month’s FLOW newsletter:
Akawelle means “also known as love” in Liberia. 15-year-old former Liberian civil war refugee Lovetta Conto created the Akawelle necklace from the casting of bullets spent in the Liberian civil war, as a symbol of the life that come from devastation, with the right attitude, real support, and a liberated entrepreneurial spirit. FLOW is working with the Strongheart Group, who provided Lovetta with a fellowship and a new place to call home in Liberia to advance her work of inspiring other young Liberians to make a new world by engaging their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. We encourage you to support Lovetta and the youth of Liberia by purchasing her Akawelle necklace.
I enjoy the symbolism of her jewelry, and the spirit which it embodies:
I like it that there are parts of the world where the realities of life and death obviate any kind of postmodern cynicism and make people feel proud to embrace life with both arms.
Kudos to the FLOW team for helping support entrepreneurialism in Liberia - beginning with projects that help heal the heart and restore the human spirit to its upright position.
Originally published at Mudita Journal. Please leave any comments there.