From San Fran to Rwanda with Love

Even after running Indego Africa for 2+ years, I'm still surprised by how closely people can connect even across unbelievable distances.

Last Saturday I helped set up a valentine's day warehouse party/fundraiser in the Mission district of San Francisco - thrown by incredible volunteer Lydia Daniller (check out her photography). I was amazed how guests took a moment away from the revelry to linger over our photos and learn about our Rwanda program. They asked probing questions and didn't hesitate to make donations. The next morning I read the story of Fatuma Nyiramana (below) and recognized a familiar refrain from prior conversations with our program participants: Fatuma is proud of her work (rightly so) and has a deep affection for the US and Americans.

Could the San Francisco folks and our coop members really be making a faint yet personal connection? If so, what explains it? The photos certainly help and our Rwandan partners are much more familiar with Americans through our team members. But I think it's something more universal that brings them together - the process of integrating into a global economy on each end. Here in the US, we travel more often and appreciate the story of how our products are made and by whom. In Rwanda, the women know that their lives are impacted by selling their products to Americans who truly value their work. They've never met, but there's an admiration there which is the foundation for mutual respect - despite a vast distance.

Indego Africa's putting this connection together, but we're simply part of a larger process. It's humbling and encouraging.