Meet Indego Africa’s Spring 2011 Interns and Fellows

It is truly our pleasure to introduce to you a dynamic quintet of key spring additions to the Indego Africa team.

Interns

Kate Head (Fundraising & Development): As a prelude to entering the MPH/MBA joint degree program at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business in the fall, Kate joined Indego Africa with an eye toward leveraging her considerable domestic microenterprise-focused experience on a dynamic international development platform. During her two-and-a-half year tenure at Seedco, Kate worked with community-based organizations in New York City to implement and operate Opportunity NYC, the first conditional-cash transfer project in the U.S. Kate received a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Columbia University, where she was the Columbia Outdoor Orientation Program Coordinator. Kate volunteers as a math tutor and remains an avid outdoor enthusiast, always ready to pick up her skis, tennis racket, hiking boots or kayak at the drop of a hat.

Dorea Jackson (Sales & Marketing): Fresh off a productive internship at the Institute for Democratic Governance in Ghana, Dorea is a second-year MPA candidate at NYU’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. As her recent experience would suggest, Dorea is no stranger to African development issues and Indego Africa’s mission immediately resonated with her longstanding interest in social enterprise in Sub-Saharan Africa. Dorea holds a B.A. in Political Science from Notre Dame, is a veteran of the NYU Office of the General Counsel and, prior to enrolling at NYU Wagner, worked at African Refuge, an organization facilitating access to legal, health and educational services for refugees. Outside the classroom and the office, Dorea co-chairs the Community Development and Outreach Committee for NYU Wagner’s Black Student Association and is learning to play the guitar.

Kristen Waeber (Entrepreneurship): Armed with a B.S. in Finance and International Business from the University of Maryland, Kristen is a first-year MPA candidate at NYU’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service where she specializes in International Finance. With a background in international economic development, particularly within the context of Sub-Saharan Africa, Kristen immediately identified with Indego Africa’s outcome-based approach to economic empowerment and sought out this opportunity as a way to gain firsthand experience working in the trenches for an international nonprofit organization. Prior to joining Indego Africa, Kristen logged considerable time pushing forward microenterprise development projects in both Cameroon and Kenya and teaching public health, with a focus on HIV/AIDS, in high-risk regions of Kenya. In her free time she enjoys flying, traveling, photography and playing golf.

Columbia Law School Fellows

Brendan Hamill: Currently working toward a Certificate in Law and Finance at Oxford, Brendan is a third-year student at Columbia Law School. Prior to joining Indego Africa, Brendan worked for the Equality Federation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a grassroots civil rights movement for issues affecting the LBGT community, and came to truly appreciate the blend of passion and dedication required to bring about meaningful social change. Originally drawn to Indego Africa’s model and impact, Brendan hopes to bring that same combination of energy and commitment to his role on the Indego Africa team. Brendan earned a B.A. in Sociology from Bucknell University. A Baltimore native, he loves his local sports teams and passes the balance of his free time listening to music, cooking and trying out new food and restaurants.

Shanita Nicholas: Shanita is a first-year student at Columbia Law School, where she serves on the board of the Science Law and Technology Society, competes on the Frederick Douglas Moot Court Team, and participates on the multicultural committee. Also holding a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Columbia University, Shanita’s previous experience includes several social enterprise and entrepreneurial projects, one of which entailed creating and implementing a business plan for a community-based job placement program for Harlem residents. Having learned about Indego Africa and its business-minded approach at an on-campus social enterprise information session, Shanita knew instantly that she wanted in and has proven a great pickup for the Indego Africa team. Shanita believes in nourishing her mind, body and spirit, choosing to divvy up her free time among reading philosophy novels, running and practicing the keyboard.

Please join us in welcoming this bumper crop of talented interns and fellows!

-Conor French and Ben Stone

Indego Africa Relishes Another Stellar Gift Fair Season

January 2011 saw Indego Africa showcase its products at gift fairs on both U.S. coasts – first at the San Francisco International Gift Fair (“SFIGF”) from Jan. 8th to 11th and then at the New York International Gift Fair (“NYGIF”) from Jan. 29th to Feb. 2nd.

As thousands of buyers trolled glittering aisles at the Moscone Center for the SFIGF and the Javits Center for the NYGIF, many found exactly what they were looking for at Indego Africa’s stylish booths. Whether reeled in by brightly-colored Nicole Miller Bracelets or intricately-woven Plateau Baskets, buyers from museum shops, boutiques, and large volume retailers alike marveled at the artistry and precision of Indego Africa’s artisan partners. Many of those same buyers expressed a profound appreciation at the opportunity to support such remarkable Rwandan producer communities while stocking their shelves with promising product lines for Spring 2011.

In addition to featuring a host of collection classics, the SFIGF and NYIGF also debuted some of Indego Africa’s most recently-launched products, including Double-Braid Bracelets, iPad Covers, Urban Village Scarves, and Lined Shopper and Patchwork Weekender-style Tote Bags. The overwhelmingly positive response to all of these products only served to reaffirm the great strides that our artisan partners continue to make in designing and developing products that resonate with discerning consumers half way around the globe.

Many thanks go to the Competitiveness and Trade Expansion Program (“COMPETE”), a USAID initiative to stimulate economic growth in East and Central Africa through enhanced regional participation in global markets, for their support and sponsorship of Indego Africa’s participation at the SFIGF. Hats off as well to Global Goods Partners, a nonprofit dedicated to global women’s empowerment, who shared a booth with us at the NYIGF.

Next up on the gift fair menu is SOURCING at MAGIC at the Las Vegas Convention Center where, from Feb. 13 through Feb. 16, Indego Africa will again team up with COMPETE at the largest fashion sourcing trade event in North America. Vegas baby, Vegas!

Conor French and Kristen Waeber

(Photos: top and bottom right, Indego Africa's booths at the NYIGF and SFIGF, respectively, and, middle left, a fashionable new home for your iPad)

Darius Habamenshi: A True Rwandan Renaissance Man

Most recently spotted bringing down the house with his crowd-pleasing turn in A Day with Emelienne and Cocoki, Darius Habamenshi (right) is a third-year university student at the Kigali Institute of Education ("KIE") and a Generation Rwanda scholarship recipient. For the past year-and-a-half, Darius has also distinguished himself as an immensely talented English and Kinyarwanda literacy trainer at Indego Africa.

Darius envisions his vocational experience at Indego Africa as moving him closer toward a goal of teaching secondary school before eventually pursuing an M.A. in Education; reflecting on his choice of discipline, he thoughtfully reasoned that, as an educator, he could “help his country and his people through teaching and through revising how people understand the world.”

Darius’ unwavering commitment to learning is perhaps best encapsulated by his ingenuity and persistence in graduating from secondary school. Unable to afford school fees three different times during secondary school, Darius each time entered and won an award to cover the remainder of his tuition. To circumvent a proscription against one pupil winning the same award twice, Darius flexed his versatility across literary and artistic genres, following up an initial prize in poetry with prizes in music and then in illustrated authorship. The themes and messages of his compositions ranged from reconciliation to anti-corruption to HIV/AIDS and malaria prevention.

Prior to returning to KIE for his third year in January, Darius spent time working for Radio La Benevolencija Humanitarian Tools Foundation, a Dutch NGO that engineers media campaigns in Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Burundi in support of reconciliation and justice processes in the so-called “Great Lakes” region. For his part, Darius conducted surveys in diverse Rwandan provinces to gauge and evaluate the impact on local populations of a Rwandan radio soap opera called Musekeweya intended to promote post-genocide healing.

Darius (observing Thamar complete a purchase order bottom right) remains full of admiration and encouragement for his artisan pupils at Cocoki and Covanya, extolling their desire and work ethic. “They want to learn, they want to acquire knowledge, and, despite the many orders that they now have, they are excited to learn.” We at Indego Africa wholeheartedly thank you, Darius, for all of your hard work, your patience, and your dogged self-belief that you can, and will, make a difference.

Conor French