Through all the hardships and uncertainty of the past year our investors, staff, partners, customers and artisans came together – helping lift more than 36,000 lives through this difficult time of pandemic, business, economic and life shift.

We want to recognize you and the social impact your purchases and engagement made during 2020. We cannot thank you enough for choosing to work with KAZI artisans and All Across Africa, KAZI’s parent organization. We also want to thank the Greater Impact Foundation for helping us provide food and supplies for our artisans and their family members during the pandemic.

One way we’ve chosen to show our gratitude for you is to undertake and share with you the KAZI + All Across Africa 2020 Impact Report.

After an initial shock globally to economies and trade, as customers responded to KAZI’s mission and handmade woven products, business rebounded. We expanded to 4,575 artisans across Ghana, Uganda, and Rwanda. Their work with locally sourced materials for handcrafted baskets, decor and gifts in turn rippled outward, creating more jobs and opportunities for others.

Each artisan supported 1.5 additional jobs in their local economy, which equates to 6,862 additional jobs spanning the communities we serve. 

On average each artisan – many of them women working from their own homes – supports 5.7 people spreading the impact even further to 24,700 dependents. 

Between our artisans, the additional jobs they create, and the dependents they support you see 36,137+ people whose lives are improved every day by KAZI and All Across Africa. The engagement of our customers, partners, and investors has directly improved the livelihoods of our artisans and created jobs and markets in their local communities spreading the impact and serving as a sustainable development model for others.

We are proud of the ethical and transparent supply chain we’ve been able to build. We meet the highest standards in globally sourced, ethically produced goods, as evidenced by the Nest Seal for Ethical Handcraft  earned for our  Rwanda and Uganda products. The Nest Seal ensures fair wages are paid, no children are in the workforce, and the materials and dyes are used and disposed of in a sustainable manner.

Our number one mission is to create jobs and markets to alleviate poverty in Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa has an underemployment rate of 80-96%.

About 98% of our artisans are women in rural areas, often with fewer economic opportunities than in city centers.

Women are farmers, caretakers, daughters, mothers, workers; they are the breadwinners. However, traditionally, they only receive a fraction of the land, credits and inputs for agriculture, as well as training and information when compared to men. This leaves them at a disadvantage, being either dependent on others, or less educated and trailing behind economically.

It is essential to invest in women as they are the backbone of the rural economy in Africa. Women are more likely to invest money back into their communities and family. The UN reports that “When women work, they invest 90 percent of their income back into their families, compared with 35 percent for men.”  

 

 

“Weaving has uplifted my life. As a result, I try to uplift the lives of other women.”

– KAZI artisan Nyanzira Eugenie

Through your purchases our artisans are able to weave themselves and their community a better life.

• 60% of our artisans have improved their nutrition in 2020 due to their income

• 97% feel they are more respected in their community. Other members of their community look up to our artisans and strive to create sustainable development.

• 99% have gained a new skill by working with KAZI and All Across Africa

In addition, KAZI artisans have been able to learn financial planning and management skills, and save for their children. Having a stable income has allowed these artisans to pay for their children's school fees, clothes, buy healthier food, medicine and much more. 

“Compared to selling products in local markets, weaving for All Across Africa means that I can accurately predict exactly how much money I will make based on the weekly order quantity. I use this knowledge to engage in the financial planning and management skills AAA has taught me. Since All Across Africa only asks us to fill existing orders, I know that I will receive a reliable and timely payment. I am the main financial supporter in my household and use my income to buy livestock, pay for school fees, purchase clothing, and provide electricity in my home.”

– KAZI artisan Yankurije Monica

When you invest in women you expand markets, increase jobs, education, and improve the health of the entire community. You are not only helping KAZI and All Across Africa artisans but having a real impact on eradicating poverty and improving the quality of life for others. The impact we together are having on women, men and families throughout rural Africa is unmatched and one that you can be incredibly proud of.