Lightweight, natural, and unique, the handmade jewelry pieces Djalma Lima crafts are representative of the artistic possibilities that lie within the Brazilian Amazon. A participant in the CEN Amazon Prototype Project, who also finds time to assist with his wife's bakery and act as a mentor to two local youths who operate a hairdressing business, Djalma is an expert at translating his own success and experience into positive change within the community.

Djalma's jewelry-making enterprise in Suruacá is expanding and improving. His original designs have been modified to accommodate specific needs. For instance, he added a clasp to some of his necklaces that can be easily fastened by the wearer, and now considers the wrist size of his customers when creating bracelets. Following buyers' requests, he also switched from clear thread to black thread for all jewelry products.

Through his work with CEN, Djalma learned managerial skills, market research and product improvement skills as well as how to collect raw materials, such as seeds, from the forest floor. In 2007, Djalma produced almost one hundred pieces, and his income has nearly tripled over the past three years. He has used revenue from the jewelry to make improvements to his home and help his wife build a bakery. In the future, Djalma plans to expand his enterprise, using other local resources in his products and structuring his designs without sacrificing artistry.

The jewelry (necklaces, earrings, and bracelets) is made from seeds sustainably harvested near the communities in which Djalma works. Though the pieces vary greatly with different designs, colors, and shapes, all are made with the utmost care and high quality. Please click here to view Djalma's jewelry.

Although this is a specific initiative of Djalma Lima, who is only one of our participants, we anticipate several others in various communities will start or expand their own production and sales of jewelry in the near future.

CEN's Role

CEN is currently offering Djalma's creations for sale at certain events and is exploring other options for marketing these products. All of the pieces in the photo gallery are available for sale.

If you are interested in purchasing any of these items, wholesale or retail, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Additional Resources

Djalma Lima's story