Sometimes the most beautiful things emerge at the most unexpected moments.
For me, La Luz did not start as a business plan. It began from a feeling of powerlessness.
During the corona period, I was living on Aruba and was active at the food bank.
There, I saw with my own eyes how hard the crisis was hitting people. Families who were suddenly left without income overnight.
Mothers who didn't know how to feed their children. People living in sheds, tents in other people's gardens, or forced to stay with family.
The food bank had to scale up tremendously in a short time. There were simply too many people in need of help.
What perhaps touched me the most were the young families with babies.
Diapers, baby food, and other basic necessities had often become unaffordable. There wasn't enough for everyone.
I wanted to do something.
So, I started making bracelets.
No big plan. No elaborate concept. Just from the desire to raise as much money as possible for people who really needed it.
I used the proceeds to buy food, diapers, and baby food for families who were falling through the cracks. It was special to see how many people wanted to help.
How a small bracelet could mean something bigger.
That is where La Luz was born.
La Luz means light.
Light for women.
Light for children.
Light for people who are having a hard time.
When we returned to the Netherlands, I knew one thing for sure: I wanted to continue this.
My dream was to establish a foundation in Aruba for young girls who had become pregnant unintentionally or at a very young age. Girls who often needed help themselves while simultaneously having to take care of a child.
Unfortunately, that dream proved difficult to realize from the Netherlands. The distance was great, and the right local contacts were missing to set it up sustainably.
But the desire to give something back remained.
That is how I got in touch with Free a Girl.
An organization committed to fighting the sexual exploitation of girls worldwide. A foundation that has been doing incredibly important work for years, helping girls towards a safe future.
A foundation for which I have enormous respect.
That is why La Luz Lifestyle supports Free a Girl.
Not because we can change the world alone, but because we believe that small contributions together can make a big difference.
In the meantime, La Luz kept growing.
And to be honest: running a business isn't always easy.
Behind every product is a story, but also hard work. I have made mistakes. Trusted people who weren't worthy of that trust. Lost money. Learned expensive lessons.
Sometimes it felt like I was standing still.
But when I look back, I see that we are not standing still at all.
We are growing.
New points of sale are joining us.
Some shops unfortunately drop out again because they, too, are struggling.
The retail world is beautiful, but also harsh.
Yet I keep believing in what we do.
Because there are already plenty of jewels.
What makes La Luz different is the meaning attached to them.
A card that makes someone smile again.
A bracelet that provides strength.
A small gift that arrives at exactly the right moment.
Later, La Luz Kids was also born.
A brand especially for children, linked to the Princess Máxima Center. Because children, in particular, can sometimes use a little extra strength, courage, and positivity.
That is why we support the important work of the Princess Máxima Center with La Luz Kids.
There, too, we try to make our products available in places where they can make an impact, such as hospitals.
That doesn't always happen automatically. In a world where much revolves around margins and numbers, it is sometimes difficult to make room for products that are primarily meant to bring a smile, comfort, or hope.
But we don't give up.
Because I believe that positivity matters.
I believe that a small gesture can make a big difference.
And I believe that we can spread that together.
That is why I need your help.
Do you know a lovely shop that fits with La Luz?
Do you know someone who could use some positivity?
Or have you just been following our journey for a while?
Leave a comment, share our story, or tell others about La Luz.
Because without you, this would never have been possible.
Thank you for reading this far.
Love,
Vanessa
La Luz Lifestyle
Meaningful Jewelry & Gifts
