Some people wear jewellery to make a statement. Others, like Umutoni Thuku-Benzinge, create jewellery that celebrates African culture, craftsmanship, and community. As the founder and Creative Director of Umutoni, a luxury jewellery brand handcrafted in Kenya, she is creating beautiful pieces and changing the lives of Kenyan youths in disadvantaged communities.
“Our mission as an ethically driven business is to empower, work with and enrich the communities often forgotten at the forefront of the society. The artisans making our jewellery are from disadvantaged backgrounds. We partner with a theme of talented artisans creating our unique handcrafted pieces.“ – Umutoni Thuku-Benzinge.
From London to Kenya
Umutoni Thuku-Benzinge was born and raised in London but has Kenyan and Rwandan roots. Her love for jewellery started as a young teenager. Fascinated by the artistry around her, she sold jewellery pieces she found to family and friends after spending summers in Kenya. Through this, she made her first £100 in a day. But like most 15-year-olds, business wasn’t a priority back then.
Fast forward a few years, after earning a degree in Economics and working in IT, she was drawn back to her love for jewellery. But this time, she wanted to do more than design pretty things. She wanted to make an impact.
Umutoni + Artisans
Umutoni, formerly known as Kaleidoscope Beauty, is a luxury jewellery brand that sells handmade pieces from Kenya. The brand aims to celebrate artisanship and promote social change. Thuku-Benzinge, the founder, noticed that Africa inspired many creative industries. This opened her eyes to the global demand for African design. She saw that she could contribute to promoting African design through her skills. So, she combined her creative talent in Kenya with her desire to create a social impact by producing jewellery.
Umutoni works with artisans from Kibera, an informal settlement in East Africa and the fourth largest in the world, along with Babalargest Dogo, a neighbourhood on the outskirts of Nairobi. They offer them fair employment so they can build financial independence and stay off the harsh realities of slum life.
Their jewellery is handcrafted with care, and the brand believes in empowerment as a means of making a positive impact in the community. Through Umutoni Thuku-Benzinge, the idea of luxury is reshaped to one that values culture, skill, and social change.
Umutoni Thuku-Benzinge has been featured in Forbes and BBC, spoken at Cambridge University, and continues to spread the message that luxury, ethical jewellery and youth empowerment can be merged. She desires to grow the brand’s global reach, expand into finer jewellery, and continue celebrating homegrown talent.
