rwandan sewing co-op

Today I want to share more about Rwanda and some of the beautiful people there.  There is a group of ladies who are part of a sewing co-op, and they produce a collection of beautiful handmade and one of a kind pieces at Noonday Collection.  Bags like this one below.

 

 

Noonday Collection began working with this group of women in Rwanda when a group of Noonday Ambassadors and customers sponsored 11 women by putting them through sewing school and providing sewing machines for them.  Since the time that the initial group went through sewing school, a few ladies have been hired by the group.  Some of these are former clients of International Justice Mission who have had their cases fought and won and are now able to continue to seek healing as they are reintegrated into life, community and the workforce.  Our group of Rwandan artisans are now talented seamstresses who are able to earn a sustainable income.  They have also found a community with the other artisans in the co-op and now have a safe place to grow and heal and share their stories. 

 

Earlier in the summer a small group of Ambassadors were able to travel to Rwanda to meet with these women and to spend time with them and learn from them.  I was able to chat for a few minutes with my friends and fellow Ambassadors, Lindsey and McCall, right before they left for the trip and hear some of their hopes and dreams for the trip.

 

Lindsey was excited about being part of the trip and being able to partner with Noonday Collection because of the way she feels Noonday "teaches women to fish" and helps empower women instead of just giving handouts to the poor.  She was wanting to approach the trip with a different mindset this time.  She said that she feels that many times Westerners approach the developing world with an attitude of bringing something to them or trying to help them with something.  She said that she wanted to go as a learner and to learn from these women.  Lindsey was excited to get to visit Rwanda and see the resilience of the people there and the beautiful country.  She said that before going she researched a lot about Rwanda and read lots of books and she feels like the country of Rwanda is such a beautiful place filled with inspiring people who have so much to offer the world.  She said, "many times we think we have it all together in the States, but their country should be a role model for us."  Lindsey was excited to get to know the artisans on a personal level.  She sees Noonday as a personal relationship versus a paper contract type of business.  For her, it's all about mutual partnership, and she hoped that both the Ambassadors and the artisans would be encouraged by the trip and by getting to know each other.  Lindsey was also excited to get to meet the child that she and her husband have been sponsoring through Africa New Life.  Please check out their website for more info or if you are interested in child sponsorship through their organization.

 

Lindsey with one of the Noonday artisans and her children and IJM case worker

Lindsey with Noonday artisan, Charlotte

Lindsey meeting the child she sponsors through Africa New Life

 

McCall was also excited for the trip and looking forward to being back on African soil.  She has a deep love for Africa and is currently in the process of adopting a little girl from Africa so she had a deep longing to be back on the same continent as her daughter.  McCall was looking forward to face to face interaction with the artisans in their own workspace and them being able to show off in pride what they have accomplished.  When I asked her what she hoped to bring to the artisans from her customers back in the States she said she wanted them to know how much her customers truly do care about them.  She wanted to communicate that this is something that people are really passionate about and that shopping with Noonday really is such a different experience for her customers because of the personal connection.  When I asked about what messages she hoped to bring from the artisans back home she said she hoped to be able bring stories of ways that lives are being changed.  She was seeking to really understand the process behind our purchases from production to shipping and all the way to the customer in the U.S.  She wanted to be able to see the process of handmade to see what all goes into it and to understand it.  To see the behind-the-scenes so that she can communicate how truly unique and special these pieces are that our artisans create.  McCall went on to add that she loves that Noonday is a company that's all about women helping women.  We may live in different places under different circumstances, but every mother wants to provide for her children and every woman wants to take pride in what she's done.  McCall sees that we as women are more alike than we are different, and she loves that Noonday gives her a connection to these women on the other side of the world who have so much in common with her.

McCall and Asha

McCall and Mary Sunshine (yes, that is actually her name)

With Charlotte who delivered a healthy baby girl a few days after this picture was taken

 

This amazing group of seamstresses is hard at work to fulfill their orders, and they are working on a special little project that I just can not wait for.  Some of you may have followed along with the Style For Justice trip this summer when a group of bloggers travelled to visit with our artisans and co-designed a few pieces along with our artisans.  Noonday customers voted, and the winning designs are currently in production!!!  They will be available to purchase in January!  You can check out the video below for more on the Style For Justice trip and to see the pieces that will join our collection in January, and if you'd like to start shopping the Rwandan collection currently available click here to browse and shop.

 

 

 

 

Up next, I'll be sharing about another special co-op in Rwanda and there will be a giveaway that you won't want to miss involved!!