Artisans across Rwanda are hand crafting beautiful goods with a vision to lift their families out of poverty. With their fair trade income, parents are caring for the health, nutrition, and education of their children. By the work of their hands, women are becoming financial contributors in their families and leaders in their communities. We are honored to share in the artisans’ vision for a better future, and as ITG, play our role in bringing the products to the European market.
Partners
Azizi Life partners with over 40 independent groups- a total of over 700 artisan partners. Each artisan cooperative specializes in hand crafting products using specific techniques and raw materials. Azizi Life partners with these women and men, collaborating to connect makers, designers, and customers around the world.
Income Opportunity
Azizi Life is paying agreed-upon fair wage to the artisans at delivery point of the products. This additional income allows the artisans to lead their families to thriving. Many artisans come from communities where their subsistence farming is insufficient to cover the basic needs of the family. With their fair wage income, artisans are able provide for the education, nutrition and health care of their children- and more!
Design & Quality
Azizi Life works with the artisans to develop beautifully-designed products for home décor and fair trade shops in America, Canada, and Europe. Artisans craft excellent quality goods, with coaching and detailed quality checking from the Azizi Life team. The result is refined collections for ethically-minded customers around the world.
Community impact
In addition to opening economic opportunity through fair trade, Azizi Life invests a portion of profits 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.
Country: Rwanda
In Rwanda, ITG launched Spices Rwanda Ltd. in 2017. Spices Rwanda Ltd exports Birds Eye Chilli Pepper (Rawit). The product is grown locally through out-growers, dried and sorted and then shipped to the European market.
Partners
Within this project Spices Rwanda cooperates with AEE Rwanda, NAEB, Coleacp, Horteco Rwanda Clinton Foundation just to mention a view. In partnership the value chain is established up to European processors.
Harvest Income increase
A farmer who is dedicated to the production of chilli peppers can earn a net income of between 1000-1500 euro per acre with is substantially more then what is possible with traditional crops like maize and beans.
Training
Spices Rwanda Ltd. provides training in the cultivation, drying and sorting. As a result, as much added value as possible is carried out by the farmers themselves.
Community impact
In our approach we do work with 4 established coöperatives and 20 lead farmers that are an example for their neighbour farmers in cultivating chillies. Currently around 450 farmers are connected to Spices Rwanda Ltd.
Within the lease program we do work with local companies that facilitate operational lease and/or financial lease. In this program start-ups and/or existing small youth-led companies are trained in business skills and coached to obtain a lease and/or a loan contract.
Partnership
Within this program we work in cooperation with AEE Rwanda with Amasezerano Community Banking Ltd. and Equip Rwanda Ltd. At both companies training and leasing are combined to bring the SME’s to a
Income increase
By obtaining a lease and/or a loan contract, companies are able to start up or substantially expand their services. For the entrepreneur, this means that he can at least acquire a basic income and or appoint additional employees.
Training
Entrepreneurs are trained in developing a solid business plan in which all parts of the company are well thought through.
Community impact
The pilot program is currently running in Kigali and more then 300 business have been trained of which currently around 70 have acquired equipment either through financial or operational lease.
