Meaningful jewelry designed to create confidence, connection and opportunity
Some jewelry is chosen simply because it looks beautiful. A piece from the I AM LOVE Project is designed to carry something more: an affirmation, an intention and a reminder of the person you are becoming.
Founded in Winnipeg by entrepreneur and community advocate Amy Tung, I AM LOVE Project creates jewelry while building employment and skills-development opportunities for women facing barriers to traditional work. What began as a small fundraising idea has grown into a social enterprise rooted in self-love, inclusion and economic empowerment.
A business built by leading with love
Amy’s path to entrepreneurship was not straightforward.
Early in adulthood, she followed a life that she felt had largely been chosen for her. She completed university, entered business, married and moved overseas. After returning to Winnipeg with her daughter, she found herself rebuilding her personal and professional life from the beginning.
That difficult period gave Amy a clearer understanding of what it feels like to fall through gaps in support and how challenging it can be to move forward without a strong community around you. She began reconsidering how she measured success, what she wanted her life to represent and how she could use her experiences to support others.
I AM LOVE Project grew from that period of change. Amy created it for women who are rebuilding their lives and looking for a path toward greater stability, confidence and purpose.
Starting with a simple bracelet
I AM LOVE Project began in 2018 with bracelets created to help wearers connect with a personal intention or sense of purpose.
The bracelets were originally sold to raise money for Manitoba charities, schools and nonprofit organizations. The idea connected with customers, and the project began growing beyond what Amy had initially imagined.
At its centre was a simple message: every person is worthy of love.
The name reflects that purpose:
I AM represents healing, self-love, purpose and abundance.
LOVE reflects the belief that everyone deserves to love and be loved.
PROJECT represents the many actions that can grow from that belief.
From fundraising to creating employment
When the pandemic disrupted employment and income for many people, Amy reconsidered how I AM LOVE Project could make a more direct difference.
The organization shifted from a primarily fundraising-based model toward creating paid work, skills training and community support for women facing barriers to employment. These barriers can include disability, mental-health or substance-use challenges, financial hardship and a history of incarceration.
The work is structured to recognize that not everyone succeeds in the same environment or has the same strengths. Participants may help make jewelry, support administrative work, assist at markets or take on other responsibilities that match their abilities and comfort levels.
In a 2024 profile, I AM LOVE Project reported helping more than 33 women re-enter the workforce over the previous two years.
This flexible approach is an important part of Amy’s vision. The goal is not only to provide a temporary task. It is to help women develop confidence, build skills, earn income and feel that their contributions are valued.
Jewelry that carries an intention
The jewelry itself remains central to the project.
I AM LOVE creates bracelets, necklaces, bangles and earrings designed around affirmations, gemstones and personal intentions. The collection available through Made Here includes affirmation necklaces, gemstone bracelets, beaded bracelets, hoop earrings and other meaningful pieces.
A bracelet might represent strength, patience, kindness or the process of letting go. An affirmation necklace can become a private reminder carried throughout the day. A pair of earrings can mark an accomplishment, a new beginning or a moment when someone needs to be reminded of their worth.
That meaning makes the jewelry especially thoughtful as a gift. Instead of choosing an accessory based only on colour or style, the giver can select a message that reflects what they see in the recipient.
It might say:
I believe in your strength.
I see how far you have come.
You deserve to feel confident.
This next chapter belongs to you.
How the jewelry creates local impact
I AM LOVE Project describes its model as a way to create meaningful work while encouraging other businesses to consider their social impact alongside their financial goals.
According to the organization, 60% of its earrings, bracelets and necklaces are handmade by people in Manitoba facing employment barriers. The remaining 40% are imported for assembly. The project also works with local makers and artisans as part of its broader community-focused approach.
Each purchase therefore connects several stories: the intention behind the design, the person involved in creating or assembling it and the person who eventually wears it.
For Amy, jewelry becomes a way to create connection. A piece is designed, assembled, given and worn. At every stage, its meaning moves from one person to another.
Meet founder Amy Tung
Amy describes herself as an entrepreneur, community advocate and someone who enjoys creating opportunities from the ground up.
Her work through I AM LOVE Project has earned recognition including a Manitoba Honour 150 Medal, selection as a CBC Manitoba Future 40 recipient and the 2022 Canada Post Tales of Triumph award for Doing Good. She has also supported numerous community and volunteer initiatives in Winnipeg.
The awards help recognize the impact of her work, but the heart of the project remains personal.
Amy built I AM LOVE from her own experience of rebuilding. She understands how hard it can be to regain confidence when someone feels disconnected from opportunity or support. Her answer was to create the type of community she wished more people had access to: one where women are welcomed, encouraged and given a meaningful opportunity to contribute.
Why I AM LOVE belongs at Made Here
Made Here brings together products with a connection to the people, ideas and communities behind them.
I AM LOVE Project reflects that purpose beautifully. Its pieces are visually distinctive, but the story does not end with the finished product. Each design represents Amy’s belief that business can create opportunity, restore confidence and contribute to a stronger community.
Choosing an I AM LOVE piece means choosing jewelry with an intention behind it. It is a gift that can celebrate someone’s strength, acknowledge what they have overcome or remind them of what they deserve.
It is also a meaningful way to support a Winnipeg social enterprise working to create more inclusive pathways into employment.
Find the message that speaks to you
Explore the I AM LOVE Project collection at Made Here and choose a piece that reflects the intention you want to carry or share.
From affirmation necklaces and bangles to gemstone bracelets and earrings, each piece offers a meaningful way to recognize someone’s story, including your own.
Sources for the Blog
I AM LOVE Project — Meet Our Founder: Amy Tung
https://www.iamloveproject.ca/pages/love-changed-my-life
I AM LOVE Project — Our Company and Mission
https://www.iamloveproject.ca/pages/our-mission
Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce — 150 Member Stories: I AM LOVE Project
https://www.winnipeg-chamber.com/member-success-story-i-am-love-project/
Winnipeg Free Press — I Am Love Empowers Women
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/correspondents/2024/06/05/i-am-love-empowers-women
Social Entrepreneurship Enclave — Amy Tung
https://seenclave.ca/see-our-people/amy-tung/
Made Here — I AM LOVE Project Collection
https://madeheremb.com/collections/vendors?q=I+am+Love+Project
