Company Turns Bombs Into Jewelry to Help Laos Farmers

The aftermath of a war is rarely thought about when the powers that be are coming up with tactics. Sadly, this was the case with the country of Laos during the Vietnam war. In an effort to prevent communism from taking hold there during a Lao rebellion, the US dropped over 2 million tons of explosives. The total population of Laos is only 6 million, making that one ton of explosives for every 3 people. The number is staggaring. With the war long behind most other countries, the people of Laos are still struggling with the daily reality of unexploded ordinance (UXOs) littered around their country. It makes farming an extremely risky undertaking.

That's where NY designer, Elizabeth Suda comes in. During her time working for Coach, she became curious about the countries where their merchandise came from and she was shocked to discover the story of Laos in the process of her travels. What she found there wasn't just a people living with daily terror, however, but a people trying to make the best of a bad situation. The locals had taken to disarming the bombs and melting down the metals they were made from to reforge them into spoons. This one simple idea, of turning items meant to destroy into items meant for daily use, inspired Suda to take up the cause. She has begun working heavily with the Lao people under her company Project: peaceBOMB.

"Watching the artisans transform deadly pieces of history into spoons, something useful, I felt this story had to be told," remembers Suda. "In an instant, I thought of making a bracelet and it was just one of those moments.They were already doing this: this was their own innovation through their own initiative."

Suda has worked hard to ensure that the jewelry created by the company isn't just your typical fare either. She designs the pieces to truly stand on their own as beautiful works of art that any person would be proud to own. The irony of US citizens buying back jewelry made from the very bombs their country dropped on Laos is not lost on her and she feels it's a fitting situation. The generousity of those who purchase from Project: peaceBOMB are helping the Lao people to clear their lands of deadly UXOs. Since the company started, they have sold enough jewelry to clear 10,000 square meters of bomb-littered land. To read more about this amazing inititive, click here.