'We don't want a donation, we want a business.'
Countries: Rwanda, United States
It's hard enough to keep a business afloat these days, much less develop a hit product for one of the largest department store chains in the U.S. But that's exactly what the women of Rwanda are doing with a basket weaving business whose end product is sold in Macy's, reports CBS news.
It certainly isn't your average African aid project. When Terry J. Lundgren, Chairman and CEO of Macy's, first heard about the project from American founder Willa Shalit, he expected to see a charity. What he got instead was a proposal.
"I was prepared to make a donation," he said. "And [Shalit] said, 'no no. We don't want a donation, we want a business.'"
It's precisely this business aspect that makes the project sustainable. Last year, the women sold 40,000 baskets in the U.S., and their income is double the Rwandan national average. (View a photo essay about the weaving process here).
You can learn more about these inspiring women in this video:
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Economic independence could
Economic independence could potentially solve most problems faced by women and this post definitely suggests that awareness of such independence is spreading. The continuity of a business ensures livelihoods as opposed to merely fueling one or two meals, as a simple donation would and is thus definitely the best way forward. Countries should focus upon establishing such initiatives so that the status of women is brought up and hence many atrocities against them can be avoided. Financial strength permits women to have a voice in a male-dominated world and this is definitely something we should all aim to ensure.
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