The women of the Abarikumwe Association are remarkable, delightful, and visionary.  The group began in 2006 through the contagious determination of two neighbors, Yusta and Christine.  These women were tired of weaving alone and selling their crafts for a fraction of their worth.  They set their minds to inviting other women to come together, to learn together, to earn together.  Over the past ten years, the group has grown in strength and determination.  Weaving together once a week in a parish chapel, the women have exchanged skills and generated creative ideas for designing new products, managing daily stresses, and reaching out to their community.

The Abarikumwe weavers are also the creators of the original Azizi Life Experience Day!  We so loved the way they hosted our visiting friends that we built a whole organization around it.  Yusta and her fellow weavers continue to host guests for Experiences of daily life in their families.

Azizi Life began partnering with the women of Abarikumwe during our very first days, and our relationship with them continues to be very central to our work and dear to our hearts.  These friends have endured many struggles, and it is a privilege to partner with them and learn from them.