Website: Indego Africa
Organizational Overview:
Indego Africa Project (IAP) provides Rwandan women with access to the global marketplace and fair trade wages for their beautiful handicrafts via cooperative partnerships. In addition, 100% of profits return to the cooperatives through IAP’s Hand Up training program. In the video below, IAP founder Matt Mitro shares how Indego Africa is breaking new ground in the fight against poverty with their innovative Social Enterprise approach to African Development. See Indego Africa’s website for further information regarding their strategic partnerships with Corporations, NGOs and Governments, and with Cooperatives found here and here.
What is TFC’s connection to Indego Africa?
While the church itself has no official connection to Indego Africa, it was a TFC Global Engagement Trip that started the eventual involvement of several team members with this organization. The 2007 Rwanda Team #2 spent the majority of their time with Prison Fellowship Rwanda (PFR), traveling to villages and prisons all over Rwanda. At each place the team visited, they were shown an array of handicrafts and it became clear that Rwandans are in need of a market for their skillfully made products outside of their country.
Upon returning to the US, several members of the team developed The Murakoze Project – a “trial run” at marketing and selling products from Kayonza, one of the PFR reconciliation villages their team had visited. After a very successful Christmas sale of Rwandan products in 2007, the group began looking for ways to import and sell the Kayonza products in the US on an ongoing basis.
After many conversations, much prayer, and a lot of research and networking, the group was introduced to Indego Africa Project (IAP or Indego Africa) in the spring of 2008 and was thrilled to learn about the comprehensive work IAP is doing with women in Rwanda. Since that time, IAP staff members have visited the Kayonza village and IAP is in the process of making Kayonza a cooperative partner and has imported their baskets for sale in the US.
Volunteer Opportunities:
- Tell a Friend about Indego Africa
- Intern at Indego Africa
- Join the Indego Africa Facebook Group
- Contact Susannah at susannah dot ware at indegoafrica dot org for more volunteer opportunities. We specifically need volunteer help for events in the DC, NYC, San Francisco and Chicago areas.
Events: View upcoming events here.
Donate to Indego Africa: Donate Here.
Purchase Options: Handicrafts including wine coasters, baskets and ornaments can be purchased in retail locations throughout the US or online.
Have questions about Indego Africa? Contact Susannah at: susannah dot ware at indegoafrica dot org.
