Reposted from the Huffington Post For most working women and men in America today, finding a healthy work-life balance can be challenging to say the least. Studies show that we are more overworked than ever before in this country, which means there aren’t enough hours in the day for some of the most important things […]
Macy’s commemorated 10 years of its Rwanda Path to Peace initiative with a special customer event at Macy’s Herald Square in New York City on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015. The festive in-store celebration featured live musical performances, traditional Rwandan food and a ceremony honoring the women who made this project possible.
Thank You Lucy N. Mbabazi for sharing such a great piece on Gahaya Links. This evening I attended the Macy’s Rwanda Path to Peace (#Path2Peace) 10th anniversary celebration in New York City and all I could think about was the impact this partnership has had on our family and over 3000 others in Rwanda. Simply put Path […]
For ten years, Macy’s has been committed to this trade-not-aid program. Basket weaving is a traditional craft in Rwanda and these women create baskets for a living. Macy’s Rwanda Path to Peace provides a platform for economic empowerment.
Christina.HIV positive tells of feeling abandoned and despised. Making baskets for Macy’s Rwanda Path to Peace changed her life. She says, “Weaving baskets gave me confidence because I’m not a beggar anymore.”
There are many steps that go into weaving baskets. Weavers who create beautiful baskets for Macy’s Rwanda Path to Peace show the steps. Janet Nkubana of Gahaya Links narrates & explains, “Making baskets is intricate because every thread you see is a stitch.” Weavers build the base with sisal, tie intricate knots and add sweet grass as they progess.
Gahaya Links in Rwanda is recognised with Artisan Hero Award 2015 by the Alliance for Artisan Enterprise and The Aspen Institute.
Inside the Gahaya Links workshop on the outskirts of Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, a group of women sit side by side against a brightly-painted wall. Using natural fibers and grasses, they pool their weaving skills to create exquisite hand-made baskets, inspired by the eastern African country’s art and tradition. Seeing these women talking, laughing and working […]
The vision of Gahaya Links is to “empower rural communities to become entrepreneurs and earn better incomes to live with dignity among their communities.” Besides creating jobs for thousands of rural artisans, Gahaya has 16 full-time staff and annual revenues of more than $400,000.