Powerful Economic Empowerment Models: Azizi
In Rwanda, basket making is a time-honored art, and many women’s cooperatives have formed to make and sell beautiful baskets as well as other handcrafted items. Azizi Life Experience has found ingenious ways to support such women by introducing their products to larger global markets. For example, Azizi offers organizations and individuals the opportunity to host a bazaar: buyers purchase a package of items at a discount and sell them for double the price, keeping the difference for their organization or donating the difference to a separate charity of their choice. In addition, Azizi supporters can become Azizi Life Advocates by hosting home parties to introduce Rwandan artisans and Azizi Life to their family, friends, and social networks.
Although Azizi is committed to helping the women they support sell their beautiful handmade products around the world, their primary purpose is to connect people. One way that Azizi makes these connections is by offering full-day and half-day experiences through which visitors participate with village women in their daily chores to learn more about their lives. Participants have the opportunity to help hoe the fields, carry water, cut grass for the family’s cow and prepare lunch, as well as learn to weave a small project before shopping for handmade items at the organization’s store.
Azizi Life Experience http://azizilife.com
