Symbol of Strength
Women are warriors. Beautiful, strong, empowered warriors. The Obakki Foundation realized the strength of women and created something so beautifully detailed, you’re going to want to frame it on your wall.
The women of the largest refugee camp in Uganda have designed a deeply rooted and meaningful scarf that is so versatile, it can be worn in multiple ways. The symbols represent their heritage, their tragedy, and their future. The Bidi Bidi Scarf represents their hope.
Treana Peake
Treana Peake is the woman behind the Obakki Foundation and is a force to be reckoned with. She grew up without some of life’s necessities, like running water. Every year, someone slid a white unmarked envelope of money under her family’s door. She never found out who the silent angel was, but this sparked her passion to give back.
“Everyone has a tremendous purpose in life, but not all are able to succeed to their full potential due to location, financial troubles, and so on,” says Treana. “A hard question people always ask me is why I do what I do - it is because I wake up every morning with my heart full and with a passion to do more.”
Treana volunteered most of her life and found herself in Africa doing work for the school systems, hospitals, water programs, agriculture, and women’s empowerment initiatives at just 18 years old. The philanthropist in her just kept growing and she created Obakki, a fashion label with fans like Gwenyth Paltrow and Kate Hudson. The communities Treana helps aren’t the only ones gaining something.
“The people in the communities I visit have helped shape and mold my life in a way that I now pass down to my family,” explains Treana. “A mindset like – being more courageous, living life to its fullest, chasing after your dreams, and overall, being kind and compassionate.”
100 percent of the proceeds from the Bidi Bidi Scarf are going right back to these women who are fleeing the civil war in South Sudan, to help them rebuild their lives. 100 percent of the proceeds of everything Treana creates goes back to a community in need. There are multiple scarves in the foundation’s Scarves for Water initiative that help people in Africa obtain clean water. 500 scarves sold equals to 1 water well for a village.
“The people creating Bidi Bidi are remarkably strong, resilient, and are looking for a way to lead a new life despite their hardship and losses,” says Treana. “They want independence, they want to develop skills, they want to build something of their own.”
Treana isn’t creating fashion to be the next big thing at New York Fashion Week, she’s creating it to be the next big thing that will give life to so many people struggling. Soon, the Bidi Bidi scarf will be available in a large size.
