New project for Nepal

Maya Universe Academy is a school in rural Nepal where the parents give time instead of money in exchange for their children’s education. This innovative funding method allow parents to work at the school for two days every month instead of paying money. During these days, parents work to produce agricultural and handicraft products. One of these are these beautiful bracelets that are made with real gemstones hand carved by them.

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Each bracelets cost €16, and they come with a colourful postcard depicting the children themselves.

There are many opportunities for volunteers at Maya Universe Academy. The school provides food and accommodation to volunteers who commit themselves for at least 5 months. Short term volunteers and guests and charged only 10USD per day for their stay. It is a once in a lifetime experience and we encourage all those who can to try it. 

Some volunteers have had this wonderful idea of taking professional photos of the bracelets and create a website so that they can increase the exposure. 

For more information visit

https://www.facebook.com/maya.universe.academy.nepal

Pay It Forward - Nepal

This is a group picture of 32 children from a poor village in Chitwan, Nepal. Each of them just received new school stationery including books, copybooks, pencils, erasers, a woolen hat and some biscuits.

This was a project entitled 'Pay-It-Forward Nepal', and it was done in collaboration with Bohemia, our dreadlock salon.

The term ‘Pay It Forward’ is an expression for describing the beneficiary of a good deed of repaying proceeds to others instead of the original benefactor.

This project took place from May to October 2015. Through this initiative, customers and friends were encouraged to donate pieces of jewelry that they do not want anymore, and were put up for sale to other customers. People who were interested in buying this second hand jewelry were free to place their own price from €1 to €5.

“Luckily my family and friends were not affected by the earthquake, but friends of friends were. As it is my country, I felt I need to do something to help”, said Nakul Gautam, the owner of Bohemia.

To buttress his point, he said, “In 5 months we collected 70 euros, which we topped up to 100. Perhaps in Malta it might not seem to be a large sum, but in Nepal it becomes a meaningful sum in a poor jungle village. The money was used to buy new school books, erasers, pencils, biscuits and woolen hats for 32 children in a small jungle village of Chitwan, 5 hours trek from Shaktikhor.

Summer 2014 Events

For two weekends in a row we participated at 2 of the most popular events of the end of Summer in Malta. First Notte Bianca and then BirguFest - where we showcased our Dreadlock accessories as well as some hippie stuff from Nepal and India.


Here is our lovely gazebo stall at Notte Bianca, at Hastings Gardens, Valletta

Jute Bags from Nepal

Nakul behind the stall in a quiet moment

Birgu is a medieval town in the south of the island. Once a year they hold this weekend-long festival. Here is our stall.

Dresses, Harem Pants and Waistcoats from Rajasthan, India

Piercing, dreadlock beads, charms, hemp hats, skulls and some felt accessories

Our clip-on Hair Beads and Embellished Dreadlock Extensions

And finally, here is Nakul, the loctician.
Thanks to Stefan for this wonderful board :)

Earth Garden 2014

The most incredible festival in Malta, Earth Garden, took place on the 6th, 7th and 8th of June.

Our stall was set up near the Enchanted Forest, under the grateful shade of the trees.
With different live music every 2 hours, we enjoyed every beat.

Keep Calm And Get Dreadlocks featured dreadlocks making and fixing services as well as hair strings. The selection of over 50 clip-on strings that can be seen hanging in the above image, were a huge success. An array of colours, beads, feathers, charms, and different techniques of macrame made them a sell-out. 

'How badly do you like skulls' was a collection of jewellery, scarfs, cushion covers, and anatomically precise skull clay sculptures that our friend Tom creates.

Our stall was enhanced with beautiful bags, belts and hats, handmade from Nepal.

There was also the section with a variety of body piercing items, including glow in the dark tunnels, together with steel, titanium and organic piercings.

And finally there was the brand new stock of dreadlocks beanies, hats, beads and charms.

All good things come to an end...

As we watch the video of the 2014 edition, and see ourselves... we recall those fantastic memories... and look forward for Earth Garden 2015!