Following the brief mayhem – and staggering death toll – of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, the East African country was in desperate need of a new glimmer of hope. For some in the nation’s capital, Kigali, this came in the form of handicrafts – more specifically, the ancient art of basket weaving. Two ladies, in particular, offered thousands of rural women a new livelihood. And today, their ingenuity is helping a national network of women earn their daily bread. This is the story of Joy and Janet, two remarkable sisters who enabled their fellow countrywomen to rise from the ashes.

Healing a nation’s wounds

One would not be amiss to say that Joy Ndungutse and Janet Nkubana were instrumental in helping to bring about a nation’s rebirth. Just like these two pioneering entrepreneurs, many of the thousands of rural women who joined their Gahaya Links cooperatives were refugees returning to Rwanda, or genocide survivors. The duo saw an opportunity in traditional basket weaving. They started out by teaching a group of 20 women how to weave. But also, how to breathe new life into an ancient art by incorporating modern design techniques. The weavers would then exchange their handmade baskets for a currency more precious than money: food.

Today, the Gahaya Links network comprises over 4,000 weavers across Rwanda, split into some 52 government-funded cooperatives, and a series of dedicated training centres. Basket weaving has thus allowed women to gain access to an income and stability, both of which were sorely lacking in the aftermath of the horrific events of 1994. 800,000 were slaughtered in just 100 days, meaning these women lost husbands, fathers and sons, to an extent where they outnumbered men 70 to 30 per cent. Now the sole breadwinners, they had to choose between fight or flight.

Joy and Janet are therefore living proof that, when they put their minds to it, women can affect a sea change, inspiring an entire generation of ladies to get up and go.

Weaving actually runs through the inspirational sisters’ veins. Thanks to their mother, they were well equipped to pass on their knowledge of the craft to others. She was a master weaver in charge of beadwork and basket weaving at a Ugandan refugee camp – and taught them the basics of what some describe as the national pastime. The ‘peace basket’ (or Agaseke) even features on the Rwandan currency, and the country is well known for this vessel, which helped to mend its post-civil war wounds.

Rwandan women have been weaving baskets for centuries, for use as food containers and at celebrations like weddings and christenings. What the sisters have managed to do is promote the practice among those from formerly warring tribes. They can now celebrate their common heritage, understanding and forgiving each other through this shared experience. Gahaya Links has also created a platform for the craft on the world stage, where it stands as a symbol of reconciliation and healing.

Weaving a brighter tomorrow

The sisters have helped women become economically empowered, primarily in their native Rwanda, but also globally. They have opened up this ancient art to international markets, joining forces with top brands like Macy’s, Walmart, Oprah Magazine and Kate Spade. Gahaya Links baskets are now sold and revered worldwide – with one famous couple openly supporting their efforts:

‘If everyone owned a Rwandan peace basket it would mean a lot to the people of Rwanda.’
– President Bill Clinton

Gahaya Links is essentially a for-profit business based on female empowerment through fair trade. How are the baskets made? Sisal fibres are wrapped around indigenous grasses and reeds by hand. The women first have to extract the fibres from the sisal leaves and dye them in black kettles to achieve the desired colours. The weavers then put together each basket manually, to recreate a pattern in a vibrant design.

The sisters initially financed their business through personal savings and the winnings from a World Bank business plan contest, which enabled them to buy the raw materials they needed. Sponsorship from USAID forged the sisters’ link with Macy’s department store and African craft importer Fair Winds Trading, Inc. So, global success was within reach.

Joy has every faith in their initiative: ‘We are very proactive. We are strong women. We are great managers. We are great policymakers. We can be a great force for Africa.’

Baskets that unite and inspire

The basket is a symbol of unity in Rwanda. Not only have Joy and Janet brought the nation’s women together through their common plight, but the sisters have also inspired a slew of other initiatives both at home and abroad (including nascent fashion label Cesta).

One of these is Weaving Hope, an initiative dedicated to giving children in Rwanda better education opportunities and ensuring steady food provision. At the helm is John Craig, who personally witnessed children suffering after the genocide. Their stunted growth, malnutrition and abject poverty shook him to such an extent that he sought financial assistance from Beacon CEO Mark Dirks. Since their goals aligned, the partnership was a done deal from the outset.

In 2016, Weaving Hope was thus born on the idea of selling handwoven baskets, with production launching in early 2018. The baskets were sourced from a women’s cooperative in Muhanga, a village less than 2 hours to the west of Kigali. The women’s involvement affords them financial freedom, as well as a way to escape gender-based violence and discrimination. Weaving Hope keeps it simple by offering four basket designs, plus a series of other woven products. In Rwanda, just 13% of children go to preschool while half suffer from stunted growth due to malnutrition. The initiative puts all the proceeds from the baskets it sells towards building schools and feeding the local communities.

So what does the future hold for the sisters? They are currently working on diversifying their product range, by making inroads into products such as textiles and jewellery. Will these women’s out-of-the-box thinking and go-getter attitude stop at anything?

All of these inspirational stories demonstrate how women can band together to make the best of a devastating situation – and rise up to ensure a brighter tomorrow. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

So what do you think: do traditional crafts really stand a chance in our modern, globalised world? Or are we ultimately slaves to our capitalism-fuelled proclivities and ‘doomed’ to a future clouded by instant gratification and passing fads?

Sources:
http://www.lionessesofafrica.com/lioness-joy-ndungutse-janet-nkubana
http://www.lionessesofafrica.com/blog/2014/12/2/startup-story-janet-nkubana-and-joy-ndungutse
https://www.weavinghope.com/
https://www.howwemadeitinafrica.com/city-on-the-move-nyanza-rwanda/72429/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/weaving-a-better-life-in-rwanda/
https://ich.unesco.org/en/traditional-craftsmanship-00057