About Nashipai

Nashipai sells socially conscious jewelry. Each purchase supports women artisans in Kenya and India. We have been featured in New York Fashion Week and International Digital Fashion Week. It all started in Kenya in the summer of 2019. It was a work trip for Nashipai founder Jenny Behrens—to be a team leader for high school students from Minnesota on a cultural immersion program. But after just a few days, while helping to build part of a new health clinic in Entonent, Jenny realized just how special the women in the Maasai community are. She made a very close connection with Jenipher, who is now the leader of the women's cooperative in Kenya. They met right away on the trip and got to know one another on an adventurous walk to the nearby church. Jenipher said it was a quick walk up the hill, which, in the end, turned out to be an hour-long hike uphill. The two laughed so hard as sweat poured down their faces and that is when and where the friendship began. Jenipher named Jenny the Maasai word for “ever happy” (Nashipai)—and founder Jenny felt “ever happy” in the village. During the farewell party the Maasai women asked Jenny, under the oldest acacia tree in the village, if she would be able to support them in selling their jewelry abroad. Without hesitation Jenny said yes, and that is when the journey to start Nashipai began. Nashipai was founded as an opportunity to provide fair wages to the Maasai women and has evolved to partnerning with artisans in Nairobi and now India.Read their story