Support for Refugee Craftswomen in Uganda
"As we crochet, we stitch together not just yarn but also dreams of financial stability and personal fulfillment. In our hands, threads transform into pathways toward prosperity and progress." - Neema Chiribuka (Teacher & Facilitator)
STARTING FUNDRAISING GOAL: $500
Purpose: to provide materials (yarn, crochet hooks, thread) to teach more women to crochet as well as to produce more products for sale
"Through this craft, we aim not only to rebuild our families' livelihoods but also to cultivate knowledge and generate income. With each stitch, we weave together aspirations for a brighter future, where our skills empower us to thrive independently. Together, we form a resilient network of support, fostering growth, creativity, and self-sufficiency. As we crochet, we stitch together not just yarn but also dreams of financial stability and personal fulfillment. In our hands, threads transform into pathways toward prosperity and progress." Neema Chiribuka. (The program facilitator)
Neema Chiribuka, a 44-year old refugee originally from Democratic Republic of Congo and now a resident of Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda, leads a Women's Crafters Collective teaching women how to crochet, sew and embroider items for sale locally. She currently teaches 8 women ages 14 to 43:
These women are originally from elsewhere. They come from the war-torn regions of Africa like the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. They fled with their belongings and the family members they were able to save to the Nakivale Refugee Settlement which currently is home to over 170,000 refugees from 13 countries. They subsist (barely) on USD$5 per month rations.
To earn a living and support their families, they produce beautiful handcrafts often made with recycled materials. Items include: bags, hair scrunchies, dresses, "hand socks" (which are used for washing), and much more. Often they are recycling plastic bags (cement, food aid, or other bags) as well as other plastic items and combining it with yarn embellishments and embroidery to repurpose and create new functional and wearable artisan products.
Crochet Poncho and embroidered design bag in progress
Shoulder bags made from recycled plastic bags with embroidered design on top.
Bags made from recycled plastic.
Bracelet with underlying recycled plastic for structure.
Their dream is to work together cooperatively to teach more women, especially young girls, how to crochet and sew so that more women can make a livelihood to lift themselves out of poverty with their craft.
This year, Emily of RainMaker Design (a hobby crochet business), connected with the women through Elijah Astute, founder and director of BioGreen and Nakivale Arts Collective. Elijah himself is a Congolese refugee. He is a practitioner of permaculture (a holistic approach to sustainable agriculture and living in harmony with nature) as well as a yoga teacher. He has built a structure recently as a community facility and training center in the Nakivale Refugee Settlement with the support of many individuals who believe in his mission worldwide. This structure has become a place for these women to practice their craft and teach.
Emily and the Women's Crafters Collective meet as frequently as possible (but not fewer than 2x a month) to crochet together and share patterns. Here is a 5 minute video Emily produced of a recent 1.5 hour session making soap sacks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAal-7n-6Ho
The lack of yarn supplies is the primary impediment to the women moving forward with their crochet business. While their needs are much greater than this - they would like to buy two commercial sewing machines and a knitting machine - we are starting at this level of $500 to provide them with the seed capital they need to build their inventory.
You are welcome to contribute here. You can also purchase one or more soap sacks on Emily's Etsy shop. 100% of sales of the soap sacks go to benefit the women's crafting collective. Emily's RainMaker Design Etsy Shop: Soap Sacks Listing
All funds donated here will be managed by Emily and transferred to Elijah Astute who manages the funds on behalf of the women's collecive.
Thank you for your support!
Emily
