Service Before Self: How One Female Air Force Veteran Continues the Mission in Kenya
After serving 23 years in the U.S. Air Force, one veteran carried the Air Force core value of “Service Before Self” far beyond military retirement and into the slums of Kenya.
What began as a mission trip became Baskets & Beads Kenya, a nonprofit ministry empowering women through fair-trade entrepreneurship, education support for children, and sustainable opportunities designed to help families rise above extreme poverty with dignity.
The story begins with personal adversity. Growing up in abuse and alcoholism and losing her mother at 12, the veteran eventually found structure, education and purpose through the Air Force. Military service transformed her life and instilled a lifelong commitment to serving others.
Years later, during a visit to the Kipsongo slum in Kitale, Kenya, she met women struggling daily to provide food, shelter and education for their children. One woman handed her a handmade necklace crafted from recycled magazine paper. That moment became transformational.
The necklace represented more than jewelry. It represented dignity, creativity, entrepreneurship and hope.
That experience inspired the creation of Baskets & Beads Kenya. https://basketsandbeadskenya.org
Today, the organization partners with women artisans in Kenya who create handcrafted baskets, jewelry and soapstone products through fair-trade entrepreneurship. The mission extends beyond products by helping women support their families, educate their children and create long-term stability.
Baskets & Beads Kenya's philosophy of “a hand up, not a handout,” focuses on empowerment rather than dependency. It demonstrates how military leadership skills directly transfer into humanitarian work through planning, logistics, teamwork, communication, servant leadership and mission focus.
At its core, this is a story about veterans continuing to serve long after the uniform comes off.
It is a story about resilience, purpose, leadership and creating opportunity for others.
Most importantly, it reflects the enduring spirit of service that defines so many veterans and demonstrates how “Service Before Self” can become a lifelong mission.
