ABC7 Spotlight Fuels Growing “Circle of Transformation” Movement Empowering Women Thru Fair Trade Entrepreneurship

Retired Air Force veteran Eldonna Lewis Fernandez invites others to join a growing Circle of Transformation empowering women through fair trade entrepreneurship

IRVINE, CA, UNITED STATES, June 30, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Retired U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant Eldonna Lewis Fernandez expands a mission of Service Beyond Borders, demonstrating how every handcrafted purchase creates dignity, opportunity, and lasting relationships that connect communities across continents.

IRVINE, Calif. — When retired U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant Eldonna Lewis Fernandez traveled to Kenya in 2018, she believed she was going there to serve. What she didn’t expect was to become part of a community that would forever change her understanding of service, partnership, and the power of women’s entrepreneurship.

Today, what began as one mission trip has grown into Baskets and Beads Kenya—a purpose-driven social enterprise built on what Fernandez calls the Circle of Transformation, where every handcrafted purchase creates dignity, opportunity, and lasting relationships that connect lives across continents.
Recently featured on ABC7 Los Angeles’ “ABC7 Salutes” segment, Fernandez’s story demonstrates how the Air Force core value of Service Before Self evolved into a lifelong mission she now calls Service Beyond Borders.

“I’ve come to realize we’re not simply selling handcrafted products,” said Fernandez. “We’re creating a Circle of Transformation. Every purchase transforms the life of the woman who made it, the families she supports, the customer who chooses purpose with every purchase, and every person who hears the story and decides to become part of it.”

The movement began after Fernandez met women living in the Kipsongo Slum in western Kenya whose resilience, joy, and entrepreneurial spirit left a lasting impression. Inspired by their artistry and determination, she founded Baskets and Beads Kenya to create sustainable economic opportunities through fair trade entrepreneurship.

At the heart of Baskets and Beads Kenya is a simple belief: when women have the opportunity to build sustainable businesses, they strengthen families, invest in education, and create lasting change within their communities.

What began with five women, a suitcase filled with handcrafted paper bead jewelry, and one woman’s belief that entrepreneurship could change lives has grown into a thriving social enterprise that empowers women through meaningful work, helps provide educational opportunities for children, and now includes a literacy program opening new doors for women determined to rewrite their futures.

Each time Fernandez returns to Kenya, the women create a traditional Turkana dress especially for her. More than clothing, it has become a symbol of trust, belonging, and the enduring partnership they have built together over the years.

“They didn’t make me a visitor,” Fernandez said. “They welcomed me as part of the tribe. That’s what this work has always been about—walking alongside one another, learning from one another, and creating opportunities together.”

ABC7’s feature highlighted how handcrafted products made in Kenya are reaching homes across the United States, creating opportunity for women thousands of miles away while inviting every customer to become part of the Circle of Transformation.

“Every handcrafted piece begins with the hands of a woman in Kenya,” Fernandez said. “But the story doesn’t end there. It continues with every person who chooses to wear it, share it, and become part of the Circle of Transformation.”

Fernandez is available for television, radio, podcast, and print interviews on topics including:
• Service Beyond Borders: Continuing a life of service after military retirement
• The Circle of Transformation: How fair trade entrepreneurship creates lasting change
• Women’s entrepreneurship and sustainable poverty solutions
• Leadership lessons from military service to global humanitarian work
• Ethical consumerism and the power of purpose-driven commerce
• Building partnerships that create dignity, opportunity, and hope

The public is invited to attend Celebration of Impact on October 24, 2026, an inspiring evening celebrating stories of transformation, entrepreneurship, and the lives being changed through Baskets and Beads Kenya’s growing Circle of Transformation. Learn more, register, or explore sponsorship opportunities by visiting the Celebration of Impact page. (Hyperlink this sentence to your event page.)

About Eldonna Lewis Fernandez

Eldonna Lewis Fernandez is a retired U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant, Toastmasters Accredited Speaker, author, international speaker, and founder of Baskets and Beads Kenya. Through her philosophy of Service Beyond Borders, she has dedicated her post-military life to empowering women through fair trade entrepreneurship, expanding educational opportunities for children, and inspiring others to become part of a growing Circle of Transformation.

About Baskets and Beads Kenya

Baskets and Beads Kenya is a program of Dynamic Vision Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering women through entrepreneurship, expanding educational opportunities for children, and creating sustainable solutions to poverty through fair trade and leadership development.

Media Contact
Eldonna Lewis Fernandez
Founder, Baskets and Beads Kenya
Phone: (310) 591-9803
Eldonna@BasketsAndBeadsKenya.com
BasketsAndBeadsKenya.org
BasketsAndBeadsKenya.com

Eldonna Lewis Fernandez
Dynamic Vision International Inc
+ +1 310-591-9803
eldonna@basketsandbeadskenya.com
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