The Project
Amani ya Juu (meaning “higher peace” in Swahili) or Amahoro ava Hejuru (in Kinyarwanda) is a sewing-marketing-training project for marginalized women in Africa. The main center is located in Nairobi, Kenya with sister centers in Rwanda and Burundi.
The women involved in the project are learning to work together through faith in God who provides a higher peace that transcends ethnic differences. Amani itself portrays a unique picture of diversity with women coming from Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, Uganda, Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia as well as other African countries.
The Purpose
The project serves a two-fold purpose. First, Amani gives African women the opportunity to improve their sewing and marketing skills. The women gain experience in purchasing, bookkeeping, skill training, quality control, management and design. Second, Amani aims to sow seeds of peace in the hearts of the women as they grow in community and in their faith together. As part of the daily activities at the center, the Amani women participate in singing, praying, Bible study and visiting one another in their homes. Relationships, built upon God’s peace, transform even the most troubled lives.
Amani is committed to fair trade, providing a just pay and holistic development, which contrasts dramatically with the unjust conditions these women are confronted with outside of Amani. Amani implements holistic development by meeting the physical, spiritual, emotional and social needs of those who participate. As the women learn practical skills to improve their quality of life, they also experience God’s healing, moving them beyond their traumatic and difficult pasts.
Amani ya Juu: Beyond Fair Trade
Project: Amani Ya Juu (KENYA)
Date Posted: Sep 08, 2006
As a holistic ministry of peace-building, Amani ya Juu views fair trade as much more than simply an equitable business.
At Amani, fair trade means...
- Providing a just income that allows women not merely to survive, but to meet basic health care needs, education for their children and adequate housing
- Ensuring the project remains self-sustaining by not being donor-dependent
- all income sustaining the operation is generated from the proceeds of the sale of the products.
- Promoting peace and reconcilation in the work place and in the community
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Providing an emergency fund for women living on the edge of survival until they are able to improve their standard of living.
- Sharing market opportunities by partnering with other women's groups
- Creating an environment where women are cared for and care for one another holistically
- Valuing local cultures and traditions, incorporating them into the philosophy and social environment of the program.
- Using local materials to support the local economy and to appreciate textile art and design.
- Accomodating work schedules to the needs and realities of the women.
- Ensuring that no proceeds from sales are used for administrative salaries but only for growth and development of the women and the project.
By implementing these standards Amani empowers and equips women who will then be able to impact their families and societies with peace and reconcilation.
Heavenly Treasures partners with Amani ya Juu and congratulates Becky Chinchen, Founder of Amani for creating.. Beyond Fair Trade. We agree and operate with the same philosophy for micro-enterprise development and will encourage our partners to do the same.
Amani... Beyond Fair Trade
