A Special Cyber Monday Sale? Thanks Indego Africa!

This year has delivered a lot for me to be thankful for – family, friends, and excellent health – but there is one newcomer to the list: Indego Africa. I am very grateful to have spent the past year as part of the Indego Africa team, and remain continuously proud of the bold strides our organization and our incredible artisan partners have made. The upstart social enterprise that I joined as an intern is now barely recognizable; it has blossomed in size and clout and transformed itself into a renowned standard-bearer in fair trade retail (not to mention a trendsetter in fair trade fashion!).

While I remain rapt by many facets of Indego Africa and its spate of recent successes, the talent of our artisan partners has continued to impress me above all else. As the stakes and rigorous standards for new products continues to ramp up, their craftsmanship seamlessly answers. The artisan women churn out stunning new products with extraordinary creativity, care, and precision. Knowing that each product sold generates crucial income for the artisan women and contributes to developing their job skills has made my experiences working at Indego Africa among the most fulfilling of my life.

On behalf of Indego Africa and our artisan partners, I am proud and excited to announce our Thanksgiving Sale! Through Cyber Monday (Nov. 29th), you can find amazing savings of up to 30% off on our collection of contemporary accessories and home décor products that have been recognized not only for their vibrance and quality, but also for their potential to uplift the artisan women that produce them. Best of all, as with all of Indego Africa’s products, 100% of profits are returned to the artisan women for training in long-term skills.

So this holiday season shop with Indego Africa for gifts that truly give back!

Crissy Vicendese, Sales & Marketing Manager

Technology Helps Secure Tenure Rights

One of the very basic social problems that contributes to poverty as well as conflict around the world is the lack of secure rights to property, in particular, to land. Think about the history of the U.S.: farmers fought with cattlemen; European settlers fought with Native Americans over access to land and resources. This story replays over and over across time and location.

Throughout the developing world insecure rights to property contribute to human rights abuses (e.g., Operation Murambatsvina in Zimbabwe in 2005). Insecure rights also limit economic growth. Finding ways to address these problems is an incredibly important challenge but because so many variables affect whether or not property rights are secure and useful, identifying methods that work on the ground to improve property rights and strengthen tenure has been difficult.

Here's a story about a company called International Land Systems (ILS) that works on this issue. Recently, I listened to ILS President Peter Rabley discuss his efforts to bring technological tools to developing countries as they create more effective land titling and land administration systems. But what I was really intrigued by was the idea of using paralegals to provide low-cost, accessible documentation to poorer citizens for whom the formal property system is often too costly. Working jointly with microfinance institutions, these para-legal titles, if secure enough, may help some of the poor increase their access to credit. Just as important though it may help to limit conflict and reduce violence.

- Karol

(The photo shows some of the results of Operation Murambatsvina from the blog Squatter City: http://squattercity.blogspot.com/2006_04_01_archive.html)

Spotlight on Indego Africa's Newest Partner: Nicole Miller

As many of you know, we recently welcomed iconic fashion designer Nicole Miller into the Indego Africa family. A woman of impeccable style, estimable grace, and a downright dizzying array of design ideas, Nicole teamed up with Indego Africa’s artisan partners at Cocoki and Covanya on a trendsetting accessory collection of multi-colored textile bangles and woven bracelets.

A relationship that began less than two months ago reached a fever pitch at a product launch event in New York City on October 28th (video here). Colorful fair trade bracelets flew off the shelves and event goers savored the uplifting stories of the remarkable women who made them while they swayed and grooved to soulful mornas and upbeat coladeiras from Fantcha.

From both Indego Africa’s and Nicole Miller’s perspectives, we were dazzled and delighted by how quickly and fluidly the partnership came together and then again by the spirited vibrance of the New York City event itself. In short, it became an instant fair trade classic – showcasing the explosive potential of fully-integrated retail partnerships to not only awaken and enlist altruism in the fashion industry, but also to meaningfully enhance the livelihood and long-term economic prospects of African artisan women.

Even though those with a sense of humor had to chuckle at the seemingly unlikely marriage of grass roots social entrepreneurship and high fashion, it was clear that the true headliners were the master seamstresses at Cocoki and the expert weavers at Covanya. And they should have been. For it was their world class workwomanship and powerful stories that were the genesis of this promising union.

For those of you perched before a computer in The Windy or Lala Land, you do not have to miss out. Nicole Miller is hosting follow-up product launch events for Indego Africa on December 9th in Chicago on North Wells Avenue and on December 15th in Los Angeles on Sunset Boulevard (RSVP information here). We look forward to seeing you there.

Conor French

Clean Water in Africa. . . a Teabag Away

More than a thousand people are dead and millions are affected by flooding in Pakistan. These millions need clean water and food but how to get it to them when roads are underwater and helicopters can only drop a small percentage of what's needed?

What if every person, however poor, had an effective, portable water filtration device they could use in emergencies -- or for that matter, whenever they need a clean liter of water? Cholera and other water-borne diseases, parasites, and all the associated health problems that come from these would be drastically reduced. Millions of lives could be saved.

Before long that vision may be reality. Here's a story about a new low-cost technology developed by scientists at the University of Stellenbosch's Water Institute. The devices provides safe drinking water through a special "teabag" that costs under one cent per unit. From the story:

"The biodegradable teabag is filled with active carbon granules, while the sachet -- made of nano-fibres -- is coated on the inside with biocides that kill pathogens. . . The simple technology allows for the teabag to be placed in a canister designed to fit the neck of most bottles, and after filtering one litre of contaminated water the teabag is discarded."

Here's a related story with a bit more detail. I'm almost (but only almost) speechless: what an amazing development!

- Karol