Made in Rwanda – by Refugees – Exported to USA
Made in Rwanda – by Refugees – Exported to USA
More than 1000 people, including the Honorable Minister of Trade and Industry, visited the Akeza Karigura stand at the 2017 Made-in-Rwanda Expo that took place in Kigali from 29 Nov. through 5 December. What made the Akeza Karigura stand special was that it showcased beautiful handwoven baskets made by refugee-women from Mahama camp – baskets that meet international standards for quality and are exported to USA in collaboration with the Rwandan social enterprise Indego Africa.
Akeza Karigura is a cooperative registered with the Rwandan cooperative authority and owned by 50 refugee women. They supply both Indego Africa as well as buyers in the Rwandan market for high quality baskets with a modern design. Gloriose Kanyambo is the cooperative’s President and represented the women during the 2017 Made-in-Rwanda Expo. Talking to ministers, business people and other visitors, she was able to give her first-hand account of how refugees are contributing to Rwanda’s economic development, both at the local, national and international level.
The baskets made by Akeza Karigura uses local raw materials and the designs are inspired by Rwandan techniques, but infused with modern western styles to meet the demands of the global multi-billion dollar market for high-end artisanal crafts.
To purchase the baskets, visit indegoafrica.org and place your order online for global shipment (use the code "THANKS" to get 30% discount for a limited time).