Indego Africa and VisionSpring Team Up to Provide Eyeglasses for Artisan Women in Rwanda: Part Two

After learning that poor eyesight was causing significant problems for many artisan partners in both production and in the classroom, Indego Africa partnered with VisionSpring, a social enterprise committed to global proverty reduction through the sale of affordable eyeglasses. In two parts (read Part One HERE), Rwanda team member Laila Qaimmaqami reports from the field on her experiences orchestrating everything from initial sight tests all the way to placing orders for first-ever pairs of eyeglasses for almost 200 women.

If you haven’t already heard, Indego Africa is on the forefront of the social enterprising fashion and home decor consumer goods scene. In the last year, we have grown exponentially, integrating new partner cooperatives, building in-country capacity, and striking exciting deals with top retail clients like Anthropologie, Nicole Miller, DANNIJO Jewelry, ShopBop, and Steven Alan. Indego Africa is thrilled to provide our artisan partners with more and more opportunities for work and income, but an uptick in production also means even more strain on artisan eyes. As a result, Indego Africa's partnership with VisionSpring could not have arrived at a better time.

Despite the streamlined process and method provided by VisionSpring, certain challenges nevertheless arose. One was turning away people who were not Indego Africa artisan partners. At partner cooperative Hope in Kigali, one mother brought along her cherubic six-year-old son. At Kayciru Hospital, where partner cooperative Mpore Mama is located, a nurse tried to squeeze herself onto the list. Each departed disappointed, but such instances only reconfirmed the importance of making available affordable eyeglasses in Rwanda. While we had to limit our own involvement to our artisan partners, we could seek some solace in our collaboration having opened an entry point for VisionSpring into Rwanda.

Challenges aside, the VisionSpring project proved an amazing experience that took us on intrepid bus rides to all corners of the capital city and beyond. In just under four weeks, Indego Africa screened over 230 women across eight partner cooperatives! The personal stories shared by some of our artisan partners left an indelible imprint on us. For instance, like most of our artisan partners, Emerthe survived the 1994 Genocide. She suffered severe head and leg injuries from grenade shrapnel. Eye surgery years ago attempted to fix some of the damage caused to her eyesight but she hasn’t been able to afford any follow-up treatment. Being able to provide her with single vision glasses was memorably fantastic even though in an ideal world we would also be able to ensure that she received further medical attention that her condition almost undoubtedly warrants.

And here I’m going to cycle back to social enterprising. So the answer to the question raised in Part One is “No.” Given the regulatory implications in play, as well as our pressing desire to help these hardworking individuals to see better and live healthier, more productive lives, Indego Africa chose to provide our artisan partners with eyeglasses free of charge.

Were our artisan partners to contribute for their own pairs of eyeglasses, a sense of responsibility and ownership might have been shifted to them rather than to Indego Africa. Eyeglasses in hand, perhaps the women would reason individually or collectively, “Well, I’ve come this far. Might as well forge ahead and pay for a trip to the clinic.” Or not. It’s hard to say. Time spent away from the cooperative means less income and, for the majority of these women, money is empowerment, their ticket to a better, more secure existence for themselves and their family. To treat them as true business partners, Indego Africa must accept that that what we might want for them will not always line up with what they want for themselves. And that is okay. (To this point, some members chose not to show up for the screening tests.) Even the notion of empowerment takes on a different hue. Color it in we may try, but in the end it’s up to the women to take control of their lives. The best we can do is to give them the knowledge and the tools - or the eyeglasses! - to get there.

Thanks to the entire Indego Africa staff, VisionSpring, and in particular to Jean de Dieu Niyomugabo, Valens Rutazihana, Yves Ndashimwe, Chantal Musabimanaand, and Deo Gakuba for their invaluable assistance. And a BIG BIG thank you to Mrs. Marcella Halter, whose overwhelming and much-appreciated generosity has made this project possible for these incredible Rwandan artisans.

-Laila Qaimmaqami, Rwanda intern for Summer 2011

(Photos: at top, an artisan at partner cooperative Susuruka logs her eyeglass order, at middle, a lineup of sample eyeglasses and screening forms, and, at bottom, another artisan at Susuruka models her new eyewear)