ABC7 Spotlight highlights Kenya fair trade venture led by retired Air Force veteran

Retired U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant Eldonna Lewis Fernandez is using Baskets and Beads Kenya to connect women in western Kenya with fair trade income, education support and a literacy program. ABC7 Los Angeles featured the effort as part of Fernandez’s post-service mission to expand opportunity through ethical consumerism and global partnership.

Why it matters: - Baskets and Beads Kenya is built to turn handcrafted sales into income, dignity and long-term opportunity for women in Kenya. - The venture also supports children’s education and a literacy program for women, tying commerce to broader community change. - ABC7 Los Angeles’ coverage gives the effort a wider audience and can help drive more customer support in the United States.

What happened: - Retired U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant Eldonna Lewis Fernandez said a 2018 trip to Kenya changed the direction of her post-military service. - Fernandez founded Baskets and Beads Kenya after meeting women in the Kipsongo Slum in western Kenya. - ABC7 Los Angeles featured Fernandez on its “ABC7 Salutes” segment. - Fernandez frames the effort as a “Circle of Transformation” and describes her work as “Service Beyond Borders.”

The details: - Baskets and Beads Kenya started with five women and a suitcase of handcrafted paper bead jewelry. - The enterprise now supports women through fair trade entrepreneurship and meaningful work. - The program helps provide educational opportunities for children. - A literacy program now gives women another path to build new skills. - Fernandez says each purchase supports the woman who made the item, the family she supports, the customer who buys it and the people who hear about the mission. - Each visit to Kenya includes a traditional Turkana dress made for Fernandez by the women, which she says represents trust and belonging. - Fernandez is available for television, radio, podcast and print interviews on Service Beyond Borders, women’s entrepreneurship, ethical consumerism, military leadership and partnership-based humanitarian work. - The public is invited to Celebration of Impact on October 24, 2026. - The event will celebrate stories of transformation, entrepreneurship and the lives affected by Baskets and Beads Kenya. - More information is available on the Celebration of Impact page provided in the release.

Between the lines: - The ABC7 feature positions the project as more than a charity effort; it is a business model tied to identity, ownership and repeat customer engagement. - Fernandez’s military background gives the mission a service-first narrative that may resonate with audiences drawn to veteran-led impact work. - The emphasis on ethical consumerism suggests the sales pitch is as much about values as it is about products.

What's next: - Fernandez is continuing to grow the Circle of Transformation through sales, storytelling and public appearances. - Celebration of Impact on Oct. 24 is likely to serve as a fundraising and awareness moment for the project. - The organization appears focused on expanding opportunity for more women while deepening education-related support in Kenya.

The bottom line: - Baskets and Beads Kenya is using fair trade products to link shoppers in the U.S. with women entrepreneurs in Kenya, and ABC7’s spotlight could help that model scale.