We love to write about 22STARS, but we also love when you write about us!
Article on the website of MRS. ANCHELON – January 2015
HELP REFUGEES BY BUYING JEWELLERY – GET TO KNOW THE INSPIRING STORY.
By Leonie Reuvers – A big inspiration for me is my friend Stella. We know each other from law school, but after college Stella chose a very different and (I might add) braver path then most of us. She founded 22Stars, a socially minded business that designs, markets and sells jewellery that is handmade from recycled paper by women living in the Acholi Quarter of Kampala, Uganda. She, for me, is the living proof that if you really believe in something you can make it happen. Get to know Stella and the extraordinary jewellery she sells and be amazed and inspired by her story.
Article on the website of TO THE MARKET – April 2015
UGANDAN REFUGEES REACH FOR THE STARS
By Meredith Mosbacher
A thesis may seem like an unusual springboard for starting a business, but this was the case for Stella Airoldi. Stella, who is Dutch, traveled to Uganda in 2009 to research the state of girl child soldiers in Joseph Kony’s notorious Lord Resistance Army (LRA). There she met Pastor David Wafula, who introduced her to women from the Acholi Quarter of Kampala, a camp for displaced persons. Many of the women had fled the Kony regime, which was guilty of torture, murder, and the enslavement of children—as both members of his army and sex slaves.
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Article on the website of Discovered – March 2015
Artisan Portrait – 22STARSDiscovered .
In this week’s artisan portrait, meet Stella Romana Airoldi, founder of 22STARS. 22STARS is a socially minded business that designs, markets and sells jewelry that is handmade from recycled paper by women living in the Acholi Quarter of Kampala, Uganda. All 22STARS items are fabricated in a socially responsible manner that is friendly to the environment. For an inspiring story, read on.
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Article on the website of DE ONDERNEMER – March 2015
Door: MVO Nederland 
Gepubliceerd: 10 maart 2015 11:01
“Het is lastig concurreren met verkopers die vier armbandjes voor 5 euro aanbieden. Zo goedkoop kan ik niet verkopen.” Stella Airoldi (29 jaar) richtte twee jaar geleden 22STARS op: een bedrijf dat sieraden verkoopt van 100 procent gerecycled papier uit Oeganda. Ze deed ervaring op bij Calvin Klein en probeert nu tussen de vele sieradenverkopers haar plekje te veroveren.
Naast de webshop, staat Airoldi veel op markten met haar sieraden. “Er zijn ontzettend veel sieradenkraampjes, die vaak ook nog eens goedkoper zijn. Dan moet je wel met een goed verhaal komen. Ik realiseerde al vrij snel dat ik duidelijker moest laten zien dat mijn sieraden van gerecycled papier en handgemaakt zijn.”
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Article in the magazine of MELBA MAGAZINE – March 2015
Discovered Products with a story
Voor iedereen die naar de sterren wil reiken.
Onafhankelijke ontwerpers bieden online hun producten aan en verdienen daarmee een betere toekomst voor zichzelf en hun familie. Dat is het idee achter de creatieve marktplaats: Discovered. Omdat je direct van de maker koopt, hoeft deze niets af te dragen aan de tussenhandel. Zo koop je een uniek, handgemaakt product en drag je bij aan een betere wereld. In deze rubriek laten we elke week eenontwerper of mini-
ondernemer van Discovered aan het word. Deze week interviewen we Stella Romana van 22STARS.
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Article in the magazine of The International Correspondent – January 2014
“A BUSINESS SHOULD HAVE A STORY”
Stella Airoldi, a young trendy Amsterdam entrepreneur in her twenties – is the owner of 22STARS, a company that designs jewellery of 100% recycled paper fromUganda. After several trips to the African country, Airolid realized that with her knowledge and design – she could actively contribute to the living conditions of women in the impoverished capital Kampala and in particular those from the Acholi Quarter.”Paper is cheap and very light- therefore it is quite easy to transport”. Airoldi now sells about 100 chains per month through her own web shop, but also through other online stores. Among others, the American store for survivor made goods, tothemarket. “I am working to expand – projects like 22STARS can be only successful if you make a little profit as well. For that our sales have to go up”.
