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

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, 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.

Indego Africa loves a good challenge! One of our Summer 2011 challenges entailed providing as many of our artisan partners as possible with a pair of high-quality eyeglasses to correct for near vision and for presbyopia, a natural deterioration of the eye after the age of 35. To get this done, Indego Africa forged a strategic partnership with VisionSpring, who gladly (and very graciously) provided us with an assessment and implementation framework and protocol as well as access to affordable, high-quality eyewear.

Providing eyeglasses may not at first blush sound like something extraordinary, but with increasing acuteness we came to understand just how difficult it was to work and learn for women who struggled to see on a daily basis. When we initially raised the prospect of providing eyeglasses at each partner cooperative, there wasn’t a single one that didn't burst into deafening applause.

No matter their geographical location, member count or specific skill (sewing, weaving, knitting, etc.), all of our partner cooperatives agreed that poor vision among their membership was cause for more than passing concern: threading a needle was difficult if not impossible, using the knitting machine for hours on end was straining, and weaving small strands of imigwegwe (banana leaf) or imfunzo (papyrus) was tiring.

Older women felt that their deteriorating eyesight marginalized them from younger ones and even many younger ones felt frustrated by their own poor vision. Regardless of age, each of our artisan partners rightfully linked concern about their vision and health to their learning productivity and the quality of the products they invested so much time and energy into making. And so were we!

Once the eyesight issue surfaced in full, Indego Africa needed no convincing that eyeglasses would immensely benefit our artisan partners - both professionally and personally. What initially stumped us, and engendered a robust and healthy internal debate, was whether to supply the eyeglasses for free or to ask each women to contribute to their cost? It’s a deceivingly simple dilemma that reflects inherent tensions arising within any social enterprise model. Confronted by this question, we took a hard look at the situation.

On the one hand, as a social enterprise, Indego Africa's mission is to empower women to make informed, market-driven business decisions that ultimately provide them with a sense of ownership and steady income. To dole out the eyeglasses for free would be more in line with traditional charity. To have our artisan partners contribute in some way would perhaps be more in line with our governing principles - Independence, Development and Governance - as well as give them a stake in ownership and caretaking of the eyeglasses. On the other hand, eyeglasses in Rwanda are surprisingly expensive: a pair of bifocals can cost upwards of $40! Perhaps unsurprisingly, the majority of our artisan partners had never put on a pair of eyeglasses let alone had the opportunity to even consider owning and wearing them. There was, however, one additional constraint. As an INGO export company registered in Rwanda, Indego Africa does not sell products in Rwanda. Even if well-meaning as an initiative, asking our artisan partners to contribute for their own pair of eyeglasses might pose regulatory concerns.

So what did we do? Stay tuned for Part Two on Monday to find out and to read more stories and challenges from Indego Africa's recent VisionSpring project .

-Laila Qaimmaqami, Rwanda intern for Summer 2011

(Photos: at top, an artisan at partner cooperative Susuruka, a constituent cooperative of Ingenzi Knit Union, newly-bespectacled and grinning and, at bottom, Laila and fellow Indego Africa team member Valens Rutazihana conduct vision screening tests at partner cooperative Cocoki)

Product Spotlight: Indego Africa's New Sweetgrass Necklace

Transplanted sales and marketing manager, Dana Fetch, reports from the field to kick off the much-anticipated launch of Indego Africa's upcoming Summer 2011 collection.

A proud member of the Indego Africa team for almost a year now, I have worked primarily from the New York City office with a focus on the sales and marketing. On June 1st, I packed my bags and headed to the “Land of a Thousand Hills” for a summer long dive into Indego Africa’s in-country activities.

Thrilled to join Indego Africa's largest Rwanda-based team to date, I had long anticipated the day in which I could finally meet the diverse, talented group of artisan women at the heart of the Indego Africa community. From the older, high-spirited banana weavers at Twiyubake to the more youthful, energetic seamstresses at Cocoki, I was immediately awed by observing in-person the women’s skill, creativity, and thoughtful decision-making!

It is with much enthusiasm that I am proud to now announce the first of Indego Africa’s new Summer 2011 products: The Sweetgrass Necklace! These necklaces were crafted by artisans at Coovamaya, a weaving cooperative in Mayange, Rwanda that recently began working with Indego Africa. From the onset of production when the women were dyeing imegwegwe plant thread, the dedicated artisanry of the 180 women at Coovamaya was already apparent. Suffice it to say, I am not the least bit surprised that the result was a beautiful collection of necklaces.

Sold in sets of three, the Sweetgrass Necklace is available in either a gorgeous array of blues or a striking set of neon pink, blue, green, and orange. Golden rings augment the beauty of the color-blocked design and, as is the case with all Indego Africa products, each Sweetgrass Necklace includes a personalized product tag with the name and signature of the artisan woman who produced it.

During my stint in Rwanda, my admiration for our artisan partners has only grown (and by leaps and bounds). In addition to deepening my understanding of their artisanal repertoire and techniques - from dyeing to weaving - this experience has allowed me to see firsthand the pride and excitement that each of them takes in their work…(not to mention exposed me to their highly-promising modeling skills!). SHOP NOW to generate income for these entrepreneurial women while boosting your summer wardrobe!

-Dana Fetch, Sales and Marketing Manager

(Photos: artisan women at Coovamaya flash their versatility, at top, weaving new Sweetgrass Necklaces and, at bottom, modelling them)

Regional Board Update: July in the CHI

Indego Africa truly began as a grassroots movement and nothing epitomizes these humbling origins better than the continued commitment of our regional boards spread now across eight U.S. cities. The Windy City is home to one of Indego Africa’s longest standing regional boards, and they recently dropped us a line about their most recent projects. Check it out!

FIRST, Indego Africa tabled at the burgeoning Dose Market – a year-round marketplace featuring Chicago’s most innovative fashion, artisanal food and high-design vendors. Indego Africa peddled its Nicole Miller bracelet collection and Plateau Baskets to an energetic and aesthetically discerning crowd.

Not only was Indego Africa pleased to participate at this latest Dose Market happening, but it was incredibly honored to be the inaugural exhibitor in the Dose Market’s “Just ‘Cause” campaign - an initiative sponsoring participation by a local or national charitable organization. We are very grateful to the Dose Market’s organizers for this special recognition!

SECOND, on July 14th, Chicago hosted their Third Annual Benefit at the supremely funky and elegant Green Home Chicago Design Center. Set amid unique eco-friendly interior design products and accompanied by the music of afro-beat jazz ensemble L’Orchestre Super Vitesse, scores of young professionals ate, drank and conversed. The evening was punctuated by a presentation from COO/CFO Conor French who described the model, goals, and progress of Indego Africa. With a mixing and mingling between supporters new and old, the Third Annual Benefit proved a wildly successful night on all fronts!

That’s all the Chicago news for now - stayed tuned for more. And to my fellow Chicago Regional Board members, thank you again. Y'all rock!

-Josh Lebowitz, Co-Chair of the Chicago Regional Board

(Photos: At top, Alexis Worley, Co-Chair of the Regional Board, stands guard at Indego Africa's table at the Dose Market and, at bottom, supporters gather at the Third Annual Benefit)

Indego Africa Publishes its 2010 Annual Report

Indego Africa is pleased to today provide Social Enterprising’s loyal readership with a 2010 Annual Report.

The end of any given year may seem to some like an arbitrary cut-off point for an organizational portrait. And it may be. But we feel strongly that, as an organization, not taking advantage of such customary temporal delimitations to ask yourself the important questions would be missed opportunity. So what did we at Indego Africa accomplish in 2010? In one word, growth.

And what do we mean by growth? Check out some key highlights from 2010:

• Programmatic Growth: Integration of over 150 new artisan women from Ingenzi Knit Union and Abasangiye into our programming

• Developmental Growth: Significant strides across critical social metrics such as earned income, food security, access to running water, and quality of life for our artisan partners (see our Social Impact Report)

• Market Growth: Promising new retail partnerships with Anthropologie, Nicole Miller, ShopBop, Steven Alan, and Polo Ralph Lauren

• Personal Growth: Emelienne Nyiramana, founder and treasurer at partner cooperative Cocoki, participated in Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Entrepreneurship Program (more information HERE and HERE)

• Financial Growth: 211% increase in revenues from the prior year, including a 265% increase in product sales revenue and an 183% increase in donations income

For a full version of the 2010 Annual Report, click HERE.

With this 2010 Annual Report, we invite you to commemorate a banner year with us. So read away and dig into the rich panoply of images, memories, and results from 2010. I think you will come away with a lasting impression of Indego Africa as an organization and a development community on the rise.

Rosemarie Rossetti has said “adversity precedes growth.” I would only add that I think we will soon find out for ourselves that strategic and measured growth itself precedes further growth. In fact, we at Indego Africa are already looking forward to sharing what is shaping up to be a memorable 2011 with you.

-Conor French and Rachel Tennenbaum