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We are so excited to share with you our latest collection of baby & kids clothes: a line of perfect-for-summer, print-happy, wear-with-ease rompers, dresses, skirts, shirts and more for little girls and boys alike!
This collection celebrates the joy of childhood by mixing and matching comfort and ease with bright, happy prints. We created clothes that will take children from the playroom to the park to the party and back again. Each piece is hand-sewn by one of the talented ladies of Umutima Cooperative, a group of 30 seamstresses in Nyamirambo, Rwanda. These women, most of whom are also moms, are creating brighter futures for themselves and their families by sewing each piece of apparel by hand, with heart.
We are thrilled to announce that our new baby & kids collection is now available on Target.com! Click here to explore, shop, and kick off your little one’s summer in style:
Did you know that the artisan sector is the second largest employer in the developing world, behind agriculture? That’s right: millions of people in developing countries around the globe—most of them women—participate in the artisan economy, practicing traditional crafts as a means to earn income and sustain their livelihoods.
orgionally posted on one.org
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These numbers are exciting, and there are more where they came from. The global artisan economy is a $34 billion per year industry. Promisingly, countries in the developing world have a competitive advantage in this sector because of their rich cultural traditions, diverse artisanal skills, and unique raw materials. In fact, developing countries today account for 65 percent of handicraft exports around the world.
While these facts paint a powerful picture, the artisan sector still has a long way to go to reach its full potential as a sustainable source of income generation, employment, and economic growth for impoverished communities around the globe. This World Fair Trade Day, we—Indego Africa—wanted to take the opportunity to shine a spotlight on the artisan sector and share more about why we support artisans and fair trade.
First, a little bit about us: we are a nonprofit organization and design company dedicated to empowering artisan women in Africa. Founded in 2007, we partner with 1,000 artisans in Rwanda and, most recently, Ghana to sell home décor, apparel, and accessories that are designed in New York City and handmade in Africa—combining traditional techniques, local materials and amazing artisanal skill. We pool 100 percent of the proceeds from sales, with grants and donations, to run business and entrepreneurship training programs for the women who handcraft our products.
Our model combines access to market opportunities and access to education because these are some of the most pressing challenges that artisans in Africa, and across the developing world, face today. We help integrate artisans in Rwanda and Ghana into the global economy by bringing their products to the international market and providing them with fair, consistent income for their work.
Since day one, we have been committed to paying our partners fairly and in accordance with the Fair Trade Federation’s principles of respect, transparency and accountability (learn more about these values here). We believe that paying artisans fairly is both the right thing to do and the wise thing to do. It’s right because it honors the time, skill, artistry, and expertise that goes into the making of each product and treats people with the respect and dignity they deserve. It’s also wise because empowering artisans—and especially women—is a powerful way to drive economic growth and sustainable development in communities around the globe.
Since working with us, our Rwandan partners’ income has increased significantly (700 percent, to be exact) from approximately 25 cents a day in 2008 to, on average, $2.00 a day or more in 2015! These women use the income they earn to invest in the health, education, and well-being of their families. For example, today, 72 percent of our partners never run out of food (versus only 5 percent in 2008); 89 percent send all or most of their children to school (versus 50 percent in 2008); and 90 percent have medical insurance for their entire families.
We (along with many others) like to call this phenomenon the multiplier effect—that is, the reverberating positive impact that investing in women has on their families and also on their communities. However, we don’t stop at providing women with income. We like to ensure that our impact is self-sustaining by providing women with the education they need to become confident, independent businesswomen. Our training programs equip women with knowledge and skills that empower them to build their own sustainable businesses, create employment opportunities for others, and become agents of change in their communities.
Over the past nine years, we have seen firsthand the power of the artisan economy to improve livelihoods and drive sustainable development in socioeconomically marginalized communities in Rwanda (and soon, we hope, in Ghana). Around the world, there is still much to be done to truly harness the power of this sector. According to the Alliance for Artisan Enterprise, the artisan sector remains “fragmented and under-resourced,” and many artisans continue to work “in isolated environments, without business skills, market access, and the financial tools needed to boost production and sales.”
With these challenges in mind, organizations and individuals that aim to make a difference by advancing fair trade and investing in the power of education—with an eye towards long-term, sustainable impact—are off to a good start.
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ONE and Indego Africa teamed up last year to create an exclusive basket, woven with colorful sweetgrass and delivered with a note from the artisan by whom it was hand-crafted. You can find it now in the ONE store.
To celebrate Mother’s Day this year, we teamed up with one of our favorite maternity brands—HATCH—to create a collection of sleek & comfortable tee shirts (and a onesie!) that are hand-embroidered by the lovely artisans of the IBABA cooperative in Rwanda. We sat down with superstar mom, entrepreneur, designer & founder of the HATCH collection, Ariane Goldman, to chat about the collaboration and hear her thoughts on motherhood, starting a business & more. Read on for her insights & inspiration!
As a company that celebrates
motherhood around the world (and that has some mamas on our team!) we love,
love, love the chic and timeless maternity clothes that are staples of the
HATCH collection. We know you started this brand while you yourself were pregnant (the ultimate inspiration!)—can you tell us a little bit more about that process?
A:
As you said, I came up with the idea for HATCH while I was pregnant with my older daughter, Charlie, and was completely underwhelmed by what was out in the market for pregnancy. I just ended up buying bigger sizes of brands I wore, but the clothes didn’t really fit the right way and of course I never wore them again. So many women make the choice to have kids – and it doesn’t mean we stop caring about how we look or how we want to feel. HATCH was born from the instinct to be yourself, style-wise. In other words, to wear clothing that you would wear not pregnant too—clothing that looks and feels good whether you’re pregnant or not.
We are so excited to collaborate
with HATCH on a collection of cute & comfortable tees made for moms, by
moms in Rwanda. Why were you excited to work with Indego Africa and what do you think makes our collection special?
A:
I’ve always tried to support initiatives that help mothers succeed and thrive, and of course even more so since HATCH was founded. Indego Africa is such an extraordinary organization because it empowers women to work on something they love and to hone beautiful artisanal skills. I jumped at the chance to work with such strong artists and their advocates.
This May, we’re holding our very
first Mother’s Month, which is a celebration of motherhood & the incredible
mamas we work with in Rwanda. You have two (adorable!) little girls, can you
tell us some of your favorite things about being a mom?
A:
I don’t even know where to start. They inspire me to be better and smarter. To work faster and harder. And they’re sweet and funny. I love it all.
As a superstar entrepreneur and a
mom of two, we imagine your life is pretty busy. What thoughts or insights
would you give to our partners in Rwanda who are also starting their own
businesses & managing families?
A:
Believe in your vision and other people will too. Don’t get deterred…there are hard days, but you’re building something that’s your own, which is invaluable.
If you were to buy a gift for a new
mom (or yourself!) from Indego Africa, what would you get and why?
A:
I try to make the spaces I spend time in feel unique and light and full of little surprises, so the home objects are calling me…those woven banana leaf baskets. I’m obsessed with them. But for a new mom, I might opt for a gift that’s softer and sweeter – one of those gorgeous throws to cuddle up with the new babe. Honestly, everything you make is so beautiful and special. You can’t go
wrong.
To shop the Indego Africa x HATCH collection, click here
This May, we’re holding our very first Mother’s Month—a month-long celebration of motherhood and the incredible mamas we work with in Rwanda and Ghana! To kick it off, we are sharing the inspiring story of Mavis Adongo—a mother, artisan & entrepreneur who is starting her own bolga basket weaving business in Kumasi, Ghana. Mavis is a 28-year-old mother of three from Bolgatanga, the birthplace of Ghana’s well-known & well-loved bolga straw baskets. Based in the north-east of the country, Bolgatanga is a rural area with more than 80% of its population living below the poverty line and a 28% adult literacy rate. It is also an area with a rich cultural history of craft-making: specifically, bolga basket-weaving.Mavis learned how to weave bolga baskets from her older sister and grew up practicing the craft. The two would pick veta vera straw (known locally as kinkahe)—the traditional straw from which bolga baskets are made—and would practice weaving together after school, selling what they could at local markets.
When Mavis grew up, she moved to Kumasi (Ghana’s second largest city and the home base of Indego Africa’s Ghana operations) in the hopes of finding better employment opportunities. She began working with a broadloom weaving group, where she continues to work today. Despite being employed, Mavis earns a meager salary, which is often not enough to provide for herself and her family.
Mavis, her three children, and her husband live in a small, run-down home without access to running water or consistent electricity. They live in the precariousness of poverty: any day an unexpected event, like a child becoming ill, can turn their world upside down and threaten their very subsistence.
Mavis ardently wants to start her own artisan cooperative dedicated to bolga weaving (which she considers her “true craft”) and to build her own business, generate consistent income, and employ others. She said:“Bolga basket weaving is the first trade I studied growing up. I love to make baskets and watch people admire, purchase and use them. It has always been my passion to start a group focused on making beautiful and colorful bolga baskets for sale.”
We are committed to helping Mavis make her dream a reality! We began partnering with Mavis in October of last year to help her get her business off the ground, providing raw materials to finance her first orders and helping her to secure a workspace and recruit new members.
There are very few, if any, bolga basket weaving businesses in the Kumasi area, so bringing people together to practice (and learn!) the technique provides a unique opportunity to produce bolga baskets locally, create employment opportunities, and help build interest and value for the craft in the Kumasi region.
Since we began partnering together, Mavis has found and begun to train six other women to work with her. She is excited about the opportunity to be a leader of her own bolga weaving group and to be able to provide employment opportunities for others. Reflecting on the qualities that make a good leader, Mavis said:
“I believe a good leader has the interests of her community at heart and truly cares about the wellbeing of those around her. To be a good leader, extreme patience is required. People come from varying backgrounds and having patience as a leader can help you deal and work effectively with others to grow a business and enable it to thrive.”
Mavis is also excited about the opportunity to be able to better provide for her children. In honor of Mother’s Month and the incredible moms we partner with across Africa, we asked Mavis some questions about her children and her hopes for their future. Here’s what she had to say:
“My children make me really happy and fulfilled. I had very little formal education, however, through my children, I feel I am studying again. They teach me how to pronounce words and how to speak English. My eldest son is determined to excel in school. I love his attitude towards his studies. My daughter is learning how to weave bolga baskets too and this makes me really happy. I want her to learn this trade in addition to whatever she decides to study in school.
Most importantly, I want both my children to have a good education. With education, they can get good jobs, become leaders in society, and prosper in the world.”
We are so excited to partner with Mavis and to support this incredible young woman, mother, artisan, and entrepreneur as she pursues her dreams. We are endlessly inspired by her dedication to her craft, her love for her children, and her commitment to do whatever it takes to create brighter futures for them.
Mavis is also excited to partner with us and to begin sharing her products with people around the world. As she graciously said: “Indego Africa discovered me. They love me and are willing to help me share my skills.”
To see & shop Mavis’ beautiful bolga baskets for yourself, click here
We are so excited to announce our first ever Mothers’ Month—a May-long celebration of the incredible mamas we partner with in Rwanda and Ghana (and in the U.S.!) Here at Indego Africa we are all about supporting mamas every day, so we wanted to do something special to honor these moms—and moms around the world—by dedicating an entire month to sharing their stories. We have lots of amazing features, launches, collaborations, and events coming your way this month and can’t wait to share them with you. To give you a sneak peek (and to get you as excited as we are!) we’re including a list of all the fun things to come below. This Mothers’ Month, keep your eyes peeled for…
• the story of Mavis Adongo—the mom, artisan & entrepreneur who is starting her own bolga basket weaving business in Ghana
• a Mother’s Day post featuring beautiful images, stories, and quotes from the inspiring mamas of IBABA cooperative in Rwanda
• some very special new items on our ever-expanding baby & kids line (we’re talking some serious cuteness, here…)
• a Sample Sale in NYC on May 10th at 171 Elizabeth St. with one-of-a-kind pieces (at one-of-a-kind prices!)
• followed by…a Pop Up Shop from May 11th-16th featuring summer accessories, bright home décor, newly launched apparel, baby & kids items and more (more details here)
• a piece on ONE.org about women artisans & the global handmade economy for World Fair Trade Day
• Mama Moments interviews with some of our favorite moms here in the U.S. including HATCH founder, Ariane Goldman, and colorful paper artist, Chloe Fleury
• the launch of our brand-new Mommy & Me dresses
• our first-ever Indego Africa Zine (miniature magazine) giving you an inside look at our programs, partners, and impact in Rwanda & Ghana
…and more…
Stay tuned by signing up for our newsletter and following us on social media (@indego_africa). You won’t want to miss the exciting things to come!
As an organization that celebrates motherhood around the world, we are so excited to announce our partnership with HATCH! One of our favorite mama brands, HATCH is known for its chic and timeless maternity clothes that are perfect for before, during, and after pregnancy. To celebrate Mother’s Day, we teamed up with HATCH to create a capsule collection of hand-embroidered t-shirts for mamas (and onesies for the babes!) that celebrates comfort, creativity, and the joy of motherhood. The collection features 100% linen (and oh-so-comfy) HATCH t-shirts and classic cotton onesies, with cute phrases and icons that are hand-embroidered by the talented artisans of the IBABA cooperative in Rwanda.
We are so excited about this collection, made for moms, by moms, in Rwanda. Scroll down to see images of our HATCH x Indego Africa products, as well as behind-the-scenes looks at the handmade process behind the collection’s hand-embroidery. PLUS, keep your eyes peeled for more exciting features to come in the month of May, including inspiring quotes and stories from the mama-makers of IBABA and an exclusive interview with one of our favorite superstar moms, HATCH-founder, Ariane Goldman. Shop the collection here!
We <3 a good basket stack.At Indego Africa, we are all about the baskets! We love bright colors and patterns and can always get behind a good black and white. Whether fringed catchalls, classic plateaus, or lidded minis, our handwoven baskets are the perfect way to liven up any space or home. Check out some of our faves below!
We are obsessed with the safari chic footwear of ethical fashion brand Brother Vellies! Founded by designer Aurora James, Brother Vellies celebrates traditional African craftsmanship and style, while also creating sustainable jobs for artisans on the continent.
With shoes handmade in South Africa, Kenya, and Morocco, Brother Vellies offers a range of swoon-worthy sandals, heels, and booties that draw on local raw materials and ethically-sourced animal products (think: leather, fur, mohair & more.)
We can’t get enough of Brother Vellies’ fierce footwear so we decided to team up with them for a photoshoot featuring their best-selling shoes and our brand-new apparel line. We love the way our African printed textiles play off Brother Vellies’ textural, striking footwear for an all-around culturally-inspired and (ethically) fashion-forward look. Check out our shoot below and get inspired to create your own made-in-Africa look.
