The Kazuri story Upon her return to Kenya from Tanzania in 1975, Lady Susan Wood set up a fledgling business making beads in a small shed in her back garden. She started with two single women as assistants. Before long she discovered that there were many more women who were in need of jobs and so Kazuri Beads began its long and successful journey as a help centre for needy women, especially single mothers who have no other source of income. In 1988 the small shed became a brand new factory, located on what used to be part of the Karen Blixen Estate, of 'Out of Africa' fame, at the foot of the Ngon'g Hills. Here the women apply their skills to produce the ceramic beads and jewelry. It is skilled and delicate work, but the women have proved to be well suited with their nimble fingers. The factory also acts as a social gathering and the hum of voices continues throughout the day. In the early 1990's the Gulf War gave Kazuri its first real setback as its principal market, the tourists to Kenya, vanished overnight. The decision was then made to diversify into pottery and create a product that could be sold in the home market. After much trial and error and with the help of a ceramic expert from England, a pottery business was borne, reminiscent of the pottery industry of England 100 years ago.