Our artisan partners have big dreams and big plans. We invest 100% of our profits into their education because we believe in their ability to achieve (and exceed) their goals. Our locally-run entrepreneurship programs help women and youth develop the skills they need to create brighter economic futures for themselves and their communities.
Our Economic Inclusion for Refugees program addresses the unique livelihood and financial challenges refugee women face. By providing female refugees at the Mahama Refugee Camp and Kigeme Refugee Camp in Rwanda with artisan skills, business training, and market access, Indego is helping them integrate in their host country’s labor force and achieve long-term economic security for themselves and their families.
The Young Leaders Academy provides graduates of our Vocational & Business Training program in Rwanda with the advanced business education and intensive technology training they need to enhance the productivity of their cooperatives and spearhead change in their communities. By addressing a gap in advanced entrepreneurship training available to young people, we’re helping build the next generation of female leaders in Africa.
Our Vocational Training program helps unemployed young women enter the artisan workforce and achieve sustainable economic independence. As instructors and mentors, our experienced artisan partners train young people in traditional craft techniques and help guide them on a path to long-term employment. Graduates are equipped with the skills of their trade and the knowledge and support they need to join a cooperative or launch an artisan business of their own.
Our Leadership Academy is an advanced entrepreneurship training program dedicated to building powerful leaders and businesswomen in Rwanda. Launched in October 2014, the Academy trains aspiring artisan leaders how to improve the management of their cooperatives, launch new enterprises, and take on positions of leadership in their communities.
Our Technology Training for the Workplace program provides young college graduates in Rwanda and Ghana with technology training, job application guidance, and business soft skills to help them enter and succeed in the workforce. It is part of our growing mission to provide digital entrepreneurship resources and opportunities for young people in the broader communities where we work.
We’re committed to helping improve our artisan partners’ economic and social well-being by taking a holistic approach to empowerment. In response to their feedback and ideas, we often provide special workshops and seminars to better address our partners’ needs. Examples include trainings on sexual health, domestic violence, occupational health and wellness, savings and loans, and mental health…with more to come!
Our Basic Business Training program provides artisans and youth with the foundational knowledge they need to manage and run a business. With fundamental skills in organizational administration, financial management, and business technology, our partners are better able to manage their own enterprises, keep track of their finances, and put savings and growth plans into action.
We are committed to consistently measuring our impact, identifying areas for improvement, and transparently communicating the results of our work to supporters around the world. Our Annual & Social Impact Reports to date illustrate a powerful narrative of empowerment for our artisan partners, their families, and their communities.
