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USADF Grantee Speaks About Social Benefits During an Appearance in WashinGton:
Grantee Provides Income, Oppurtunities to Rwandan WomenWASHINGTON - December 16, 2008
WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 16 , 2008 – Janet Nkubana, the co-founder of Gahaya Links and a United States African Development Foundation (USADF) grantee, appeared at Macy’s in downtown Washington, D.C. on Friday. Nkubana, stopping there during a six city tour, spoke about her company, which employees rural Rwandan basket weavers. During her talk, she expressed her appreciation for the support Gahaya Links has received from USADF. His Excellency James Kimonyo, the Rwandan Ambassador to the United States, introduced Nkubana.
Ambassador Kimonyo praised Gahaya Links as a model company, stating “Gahaya Links helps women in Rwanda use their skills to generate income.”
Its unique business model connects cooperative associations across regional and ethnic divisions, connecting more than 3,000 women to produce handmade, high-quality sisal baskets for Gahaya Links. These baskets are currently being sold in the United States.
Basket weaving is rarely seen as an income generator in Rwanda as many rely on subsistence farming throughout the sub-Saharan country. Through Gahaya Links, women artisans are generating a stable cash income and bettering their lives.
At her Macy’s appearance on Friday, Nkubana spoke about the social benefits of Gahaya Links. “Most of these women did not go to school, but they had a talent for weaving. Now, they are using their skills to earn income. Their children can now go to school and have more opportunities.”
Gahaya Links became a USADF grantee in March 2007. With USADF funding, Gahaya Links is strengthening its organizational structures and financial management, improving its training services, and developing its business and marketing activities.
The United States African Development Foundation (USADF) is a United States Government agency dedicated to expanding access to economic opportunity in Africa. Currently USADF operates in 20 African nations. Over the past 25 years, USADF has directly funded nearly 1,500 African projects representing in excess of $150 million in support of African enterprises and local African communities.