From Swahili, meaning “employment jobs, source of income” KAZI’s mission is to create jobs and markets to alleviate poverty in Africa, empowering artisans to weave a better story for themselves. Baskets, plates + bowls are not only stunning table centrepieces but also do good. Made of organic dyed raffia + sweetgrass, each piece is carefully designed and made. Ideal for keys, masks, fruit, or simply being there themselves as art.
KAZI is currently one of only five companies to carry the Nest Seal of Ethical Handcraft on their Rwanda and Uganda products - the highest standards for assessing artisan homeworker production and supply chains. When you purchase these products, we hope you can feel good knowing everything is made ethically in a home or small workshop.
- Fair wage jobs
- Sustainable materials
- Quality craftsmanship
- Create employment for 4,575
artisans from Rwanda,
Uganda, and Ghana
- Everyone deserves to make a fair wage
Nest Seal accredited
Global artisan work is notoriously unregulated, underserved, and unprotected. Nest ensures the production provides safe and empowering employment for all workers:
- Worker rights and wellbeing
- Child advocacy and protection
- Fair compensation and benefits
- Health and safety
- Environmental care
The material used for weaving in Bolgatanga is elephant grass, this grass is only available in the southern part of Ghana, Kumasi to be precise. The grasses are harvested and dried up, a process which might take up to three (3) days. It is then tied together in big bundles and transported to the Bolga markets. This is where most of the weavers buy their raw materials. The straw grass is further processed before weaving begins.
- Straw is collected and splitted then rolled/twisted for texture.
- Straw is dyed to give a vibrant color before weaving begins.
