Adolophine Lukabu Sheeley first traveled the world as the child of a diplomat, exploring other cultures through her father’s work and her mother’s keen business sense.
These experiences led her to appreciate world-class artisans around the globe, but also revere her African culture. Sheeley’s mother, Georgette, bought goods she found during their family travels and sold them in the markets of her home city of Kinshasa, all under her daughter’s watchful eye.
Seeing her mother and other women running their own businesses inspired Sheeley—she wanted to grow her own company and bring up other women along the way through entrepreneurship.
Sheeley says she established Adolophine, a New York–based luxury brand, as a way to express her love for her home country, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and to “bridge the gap” between people through jewelry and other products she sells.
From travel, family, and school, Sheeley learned to speak six languages. Her family moved to the United States when she was 8, and she grew up in Manhattan. But her father made sure to instill a love for the DRC, then known as Zaire, in his children.
“Even though we lived in America, my dad used to say our home was Zaire, and he expected us to respect our culture, ideals, and history,” Sheeley says.
A 2002 graduate of Ohio State University, Sheeley received a master’s in international politics and economic development from Fordham University in 2012. She wanted to be a professor but worked in finance and real estate. She married and had a daughter. Life was good, yet spending her days in the “corporate rat race,” as Sheeley puts it, was keeping her away from her child for too many hours.
“My daughter, who was in second grade then, told me her dream was for me to be happier—and to buy her more candy,” Sheeley says with a laugh. “We made a deal. I would do something different. She even drew the logo for Adolophine, the letter A.”
Sheeley had kept in touch with relatives in the DRC, and their eye for quality goods and jewelry gave her an idea for an import business—she would bring the country to the world through her sourcing and marketing skills. She started Adolophine in 2018, and debuted it as an official business in May 2019.
Adolophine’s first jewelry collection used cowrie shells, an ancient symbol of money and wealth. The company has added Kenyan collar necklaces and bangles, made with traditional Maasai beads, and jewelry made with malachite from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Its latest jewelry collection is Kongo With Love, highlighting what Sheeley calls the Kongo Kingdom, which includes the African countries of Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Namibia, Zambia, and the Republic of Congo. The collection features gold, diamonds, and gemstones that reflect Africa’s natural beauty, she says.
“The materials for these earrings come from the DRC, a mineral-rich country,” explains Sheeley. “The malachite is sourced from Kolwezi or Lubumbashi, the diamonds are from Kasai, and the gold is from the Eastern Congo.”
As one of Sheeley’s goals is to enrich her native country, she founded the nonprofit organization Les Amis de Mulunda et Georgette, offering education in personal finance and business. She also supports an orphanage in Kinshasa, helping to pay for fixing up its building and providing for the girls who live there.
“I want to use my platform both to promote my business but also to help people,” says Sheeley. This philanthropic work gives her a chance to slow down from dealing with work and realize how far she has come.
“Everything is done locally,” she says of the craftspeople who supply Adolophine. “You cannot mass-produce it. It must be done with love and care.”
Top: Adolophine Lukabu Sheeley developed her African-focused business, Adolophine, highlighting the materials and craftsmanship of her home continent in jewelry and other items. (Photos courtesy of Adolophine)
Follow me on Instagram and Twitter
Follow JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazineFollow JCK on Twitter: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Facebook: @jckmagazine
