Rwanda Knits Auction

Thanks to all who participated in the Fall 2007 online auction! Thanks to you we raised over $2,600!

Pacifica Radio (NPR), Full Circle Program

On April 6 at 7:00 pm Pacific time (10 pm DST), Pacifica Radio KPFA (an NPR affiliate station) in Berkeley, CA broadcasted an 11-minute segment about the Rwanda Knits project on their show, Full Circle. The show, inspired by the UMass Magazine article, is hosted by Donna Bellorado who interviewed me about the project and includes an interview with Rwanda Knits' project manager, Geofrey Katushabe and two of the Rwanda Knits' teachers, Esperance Nyirarusimbe and Furaha Mukamusoni, who joined us from Kigali, Rwanda. This segment was especially relevant airing in April, the 13th anniversary of the 1994 Genocide. You can listen to it by clicking on their archived shows.

ONLINE AUCTION TO BENEFIT RWANDA KNITS PROJECT

Have you ever wondered what happens to the fabulous garments you see in the pages of your favorite knit and crochet magazines? Would you like to own an original Nicky Epstein design? A Gayle Bunn or a Doris Chan? Now, through the Rwanda Knits Project online auction, you can own one of those star garments and help knitting cooperatives in Rwanda at the same time! What a perfect Mother's Day gift!

Rwanda Knits Project

Founded in 2003, the Rwanda Knits project provides hand-operated, American-made knitting machines plus technical and business training to low income women in Rwanda to enable them to earn a living through knitting. There are currently over 1,500 women who have learned to use the knitting machines in 17 different women's cooperatives across the country.

Before Rwanda Knits, most of these women and their teachers were subsistence farmers, dependent on help from family or friends or lived in refugee camps and most of them were either widowed by the genocide or the AIDS epidemic.

Rwanda Knits focuses on helping women who do not have a reliable source of income — those making less than $1 per day. Since 2005, the teachers have earned from $850 to $570 from both teaching and making items for export.

During 2008, the earlier 17 cooperatives have expanded to over 30 — all budding knitting businesses. These groups are registering to be official artisan cooperatives but require government-mandated training to register and understand how cooperatives work. Rwanda Knits is partnering with a volunteer cooperative specialist from Washington state, Laura Hanson, and this auction will help to fund a full year for Laura (who is still volunteering her time) to work with local officials to get each group registered. Her work in Rwanda, from May through August of 2008, enabled four groups to receive their registration and begin the process of registering the Cooperative Union.

So be sure to return here between October 16 and 26th and before 8:30 p.m. on the 26th (when the auction ends) to bid on your favorite original knit and/or crochet designer's pieces. Fifty percent of the purchase price of each item is tax deductible.

This is your chance to be a star by buying a star. All proceeds from this auction will go toward training so all Rwanda Knits groups can be officially registered artisan cooperatives.

See you there!!

Questions or comments, please contact Cari Clement 802-229-9991 or cari@rwandaknits.orgor visit www.rwandaknits.org for more information.

The Organization

FACED is part of the Centers for Social Responsibility (CSR), a registered 501c3 nonprofit corporation. All contributions are tax deductible.

Make a donation to Rwanda Knits.