Amani means Peace
It's been a long while since I've posted due to my departure from the USA, much travel and settling back in to Fort Portal, Uganda.
I am excited about is my visit with Joyce Muraya in Nairobi, Kenya at "Amani ya Juu". Joyce is the country Director for Amani and we had a short but very meaningful visit in late Aug. I wanted to learn about how Amani got started, how the operation runs and how they maintain such a high quality of standards for the gifts and crafts they create. I was amazed by the beautiful work they do! I bought a lovely bed quilt made mostly of blues, pictured here. I purchased an beautiful Advent Wreath with coconut shell buttons, a ruffled Kitchen Apron, two wall hangings one in pinks and reds another with a woman dancing both quilted, Christmas ornaments for my girls.
The women who are training and working at Amani are both refugees and vulnerable women. They learn fabric Batik, Block Printing on fabric, quilting, bead work and so much more. The women also study the scriptures and some have been involved with Amani since it's beginning.
Their experts Artisans are the primary trainers/mentors who in-turn train other women, all who are enrolled earn a commensurate sponsorship wage in the program. Each and every item is cost assessed to determine the time materials and expertise needed to create a particular item. When an individuals skill level is assessed at the highest quality then they become trainers of other women. The women are also free to buy their own materials and produce and sell outside Amani but when using Amani materials gifts are sold and the artisan earns a % sponsorship wage. The items are then sold in the Amani shop, online or shipped to the new Washington DC store. Amani functions according to many different systems that have been developed over the years.
I learned from Joyce what happens behind the scenes and how the operation works. Amani does not function as a Technical School or a Business that employs laborers but functions as a Training Institute with a business arm. Amani as an organization is a strong proponent of networks of church, family and community, not an entitiy on which to become dependant.
One of my challenges will be to find out how the Women of the Proverbs project will function: as a charitable, Non-government Organization, or a Foundation Trust in Uganda or exactly what type of organization will best describe our function in the community. This may not be an issue as World Harvest Mission is already an Non-government Organization.
I particulairly like a principle Joyce and I discussed that has an African proverb to emphasize it's importance.
Hakuna Chabure! Nothing is for free!
P.S. I've settled in to a lovely home in Bugunda a small village outside of Fort Portal and not far from my village of Busoro. By God's grace and generous individual financial supporters plus generous gifts from Redeemer Church WS-NC, Grace Community Church in Kernersville NC, and Trinity Presbyterian Church in Charlottesville VA, rebuilding has begun on the fire damaged house in Fort Portal. With the help of a friend who hopes to be paid in Iron Roofing Sheets I've started work on the burned house. There are 11 guys, 1 Carpenter for the roof, and 2 masons all working for these two weeks to remove the cement plaster from the brick walls, repair damaged walls, clear the rubble from inside the remaining exterior walls and raise the roofing structure. The house is huge by the way! This is no small task and i am grateful for the crew of guys God has brought to work on the house!
