Jeannine’s story What is your definition and approach to leadership? What qualities do you see a leader embodying? Leadership is a loaded word that means different things to different people. At only 30 years of age, Jeannine Umutoniwase has risen through the ranks to become the CEO of Azizi Life. Before I asked her what […]
‘If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you’ James 1:5 The Azizi Life team wish you all a Happy New Year! A new year heralds the start of new opportunities, and there are many to pray for in […]
How do bees, fair trade crafts, and rural Rwandans connect with one another? In this post, we’ll reveal how ‘Beeutiful Creations’, a social enterprise start-up founded earlier this year, is helping to bring about positive change for those living in poverty, in a pretty sweet way… As part of Azizi Life’s Impact, the local NGO […]
‘Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always’ 1 Chronicles 16:11 As we edge closer to the year’s end, we praise God for the good things that He is doing around the world and here in Rwanda. It’s a busy time of year for the artisans! Thank you for joining us in […]
Under the cool cover of night, the shrill cry of a baby pierced the air. It went on and on, eventually attracting the attention of a group of clay brick makers who left the glowing embers of their furnace to locate the source of the commotion. The scene that awaited them was grim: a three-month […]
My eyes were greeted with a sartorial explosion of patterns. Vibrant kitenge threw into sharp relief my rather bland clothes which I should have, but forgot to change out of when my husband came to look after the children. I knew that life would be somewhat different for these ladies, and I realised that even […]
A throng of beaming faces surrounded us as we stepped out of the car and onto the baked earth. The ladies of the Abarikumwe Cooperative greeted us warmly. We were there to learn about traditional construction in rural Rwanda, and my pre-schooler son and his fellow pre-schooler friend were brimming with excitement about the fact […]
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How do you feel when you are confronted with the nonsense above? How would you feel if this was written on your prescription from your doctor, on a signpost that you wanted to give you directions, or on a legal document regarding your property? These are the situations that Florida, an artisan from the Abarikumwe weaving cooperative, faced in her daily life before she began the Adult Literacy Program, run by Azizi Life’s NGO, Ubuzima Bwiza Iwacu.
Hello from the Azizi Life team to wherever you are in the world right now! Welcome to the home of our new blog, a place in which you will find stories of hope and life from right here in beautiful Rwanda coming up in the next few months and beyond.
Our Artisan
Partners
Across the hills of Rwanda, groups of rural artisans are working to bring hope to their families through skillfully handcrafted goods. Azizi Life partners with over 60 independent groups- a total of over 760 artisan partners. Rising from the horrors of genocide, artisans from all backgrounds have joined together once again through their craft. Each artisan cooperative specializes in hand crafting products using specific techniques and raw materials. Azizi Life is honored to partner with these women and men, collaborating to connect makers, designers, and customers around the world.
Our
Products
We love serving your vision for beauty and meaning in the gifts you give, what you wear, and how you decorate. Azizi Life serves as a bridge, partnering with artisans and designers to offer high quality, ethically-sourced goods for life and gifting. Products are crafted by hand using local, natural, and renewable materials. Our modern and traditional collections include baskets, woven bowls, home décor, tabletop, woven jewelry, and bags. Azizi Life offers products to US customers from our warehouse in Exton, Pennsylvania, as well as FOB sales directly from Rwanda.
Our
Mission
Azizi Life is a fair trade organization which partners with Rwandan artisans to bring beautifully designed, hand crafted goods to the world. As a not-for-profit organization, Azizi Life is dedicated to the wellbeing of our artisan partners and their families. In addition to opening economic opportunity through fair trade, Azizi Life invests in a range of community impact projects. Our Rwandan-led team facilitates adult literacy classes and offers other practical resources for personal, spiritual, and economic growth.
