Akola is a globally-inspired jewelry brand, creating beautiful designs to lift up and champion women around the world.

Our name means “she works” in a local Ugandan dialect. We provide life-changing job opportunities through vertically-integrated manufacturing, employing women in Uganda to make each Akola piece.

We are here because of these women. We believe in them, and the power of all who live in the margins.

Akola is extremely intentional about the steps and process that go into the creation of their products. Each piece is handcrafted by women in Uganda using local, and sustainable materials such as up-cycled cow horn, raffia sourced from palm leaves, and sisal that comes from the agave plant.

Jinja, a city in Uganda, nestled along the banks of the Nile river, is where our product comes to life. Our design process melds the various worlds we touch, reinforcing the global connectivity of our brand. The materials and techniques link directly to where they originate, inspired by the lush East Africa surroundings. Our designs rely on a layering of textures, techniques, and details - complex, yet simplex - light, yet vibrant.

Akola’s horn comes from the Ankole Cow, a breed of cattle indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa and Uganda. Ankole cows are referred to as “The Cattle of the Kings & Royalty,” and their lineage has been traced back thousands of years to Egypt.
Horn is not ivory. An elephant is killed for its ivory, but horn is a natural byproduct after a cow dies. The horn would usually be discarded, but instead, it is made into a beautiful, sustainable material.
We purchase 100% of our horn from discarded horns of Ankole cows, which helps stimulate the local Ugandan economy. The horn is cleaned, polished and hand-carved by Akola employees in Jinja, Uganda. The women of Akola perfect each jewelry piece using a myriad of techniques like sculpting, carving, pressing, cutting and dying the horn.
Just like fingerprints, no two horns are identical, making every piece of Akola jewelry truly one of a kind. Horn has a natural variation and gradience in its color that varies from shades of white, to caramel and black.