Imani Collective is a socioeconomic empowerment program focused on creating dignified jobs and taking a holistic approach to empowerment. We care about the whole person and want to ensure that they get adequate training to be able to excel in this life. This project will allow us to expand our program by adding capacity and training for 10 new weavers, which will simultaneously create a brighter future for these artisans, and preserve the art of weaving in Kenya.
The artisan sector is the 2nd largest employer in the developing world. Yet the majority of artisans are women who live in rural communities without access to tools they need to be successful, and one key trade is dying: weaving. Meanwhile, Imani Collective has been experiencing an increase in demand for our woven products, but there is a lack of skilled weavers available to help us meet this demand. We need 10 more weavers so that our business - and thus our women - can thrive.
Since 2013, Imani Collective has provided artisans with on-the-job skills training, consistent wages, access to education, opportunities for personal + professional growth, a space to dream big, a supportive community and empowerment through it all. With this project, we will hire 10 women and train them in the weaving trade, giving us the opportunity to not only further our mission of creating dignified employment for artisan women, but also to renew and reinvigorate the weaving trade in Kenya.
Sustainable socio-economic empowerment of the whole person is at the heart of our mission. We believe that women around the globe have the capacity + creativity to uplift themselves, their families, and their communities - all they need are the resources. As our organization grows, so does our commitment to empower more artisan women, youth + families in Kenya. By training our new weavers, we're enabling women to both unleash their own greatness, and keep a trade alive for generations to come.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).