Our Women's Centre is Almost Built!
We are building it ourselves using women
power. Here's our "brick brigade" in operation.
We are building it ourselves using women
power. Here's our "brick brigade" in operation.
Welcome to the Village Guest House
Here is the tradtional house the village
rents to visitors. You are welcome to stay
here if you come visit us. It's comfortable,
clean and we think the setting is beautiful.
Here is the tradtional house the village
rents to visitors. You are welcome to stay
here if you come visit us. It's comfortable,
clean and we think the setting is beautiful.
About Us....
 |  |
Kasigau villages
Our villages are located in the beautiful
Taita hills of Southeastern Kenya. It is very
tranquil here.
Our villages are located in the beautiful
Taita hills of Southeastern Kenya. It is very
tranquil here.
Rukanga
Kiondo
Women's
Group
The Ruganga Kiondo Women's Group
We women started the group ourselves in early 2006. Now there are 46 of us, all
Taita women who come from five different villages located in Kasigau in the remote
Taita Hills of Southeastern Kenya.
Our region is very dry and, before we started the group, we were suffering from years
of drought. All but two wells in the village had gone dry and the maize crop failed four
seasons in a row. Our cows and goats died. We all went hungry and some children
and old people passed away. Most of us are single mothers or grandmothers raising
children and we were desperate to find some way to improve our situation.
We women started the group ourselves in early 2006. Now there are 46 of us, all
Taita women who come from five different villages located in Kasigau in the remote
Taita Hills of Southeastern Kenya.
Our region is very dry and, before we started the group, we were suffering from years
of drought. All but two wells in the village had gone dry and the maize crop failed four
seasons in a row. Our cows and goats died. We all went hungry and some children
and old people passed away. Most of us are single mothers or grandmothers raising
children and we were desperate to find some way to improve our situation.
Reviving the Art of Basket Weaving
Making sisal baskets--something we learned how to do from our grandmothers--
seemed a good way for us to earn an income. We use old techniques and materials
that grow locally (wild sisal and mostly native dyes) but the designs of our baskets
are our own. We share ideas and techniques but we each choose the colors,
patterns and shapes we want to make. At first, it was a little scary to do this and we
thought that maybe we should just use traditional designs, but now we like designing
our own baskets.
Making sisal baskets--something we learned how to do from our grandmothers--
seemed a good way for us to earn an income. We use old techniques and materials
that grow locally (wild sisal and mostly native dyes) but the designs of our baskets
are our own. We share ideas and techniques but we each choose the colors,
patterns and shapes we want to make. At first, it was a little scary to do this and we
thought that maybe we should just use traditional designs, but now we like designing
our own baskets.
We Are Proud of Ourselves!
When we started a lot of us felt hopeless and believed that there was little we could to
help ourselves. All we had was our determination. Being able to pay our children’s
school fees with the money we’ve earned from selling a basket makes us feel very
proud of ourselves. People say our baskets are beautiful and that makes us happy.
Also, the Taita Hills, where we live, are a very important environmental area. When we
don’t have enough to eat, many of us turn to making charcoal, harvesting sand, or
digging for gemstones, all of which harm the environment. Basket weaving doesn’t
harm anything--and that's good for our future.
When we started a lot of us felt hopeless and believed that there was little we could to
help ourselves. All we had was our determination. Being able to pay our children’s
school fees with the money we’ve earned from selling a basket makes us feel very
proud of ourselves. People say our baskets are beautiful and that makes us happy.
Also, the Taita Hills, where we live, are a very important environmental area. When we
don’t have enough to eat, many of us turn to making charcoal, harvesting sand, or
digging for gemstones, all of which harm the environment. Basket weaving doesn’t
harm anything--and that's good for our future.
Women Can Make Great Things Happen!
We feel like this group is making a big difference in our lives. We've learned that
women can do things on their own that we never thought we could do. With some of
the money we earn selling baskets, we're building our own women's centre--step by
step, brick by brick--by ourselves! It will be a place where we can work together and
take literacy and other classes to improve our lives. Now some of us are even
running for civic office and taking leadership roles in our communities.
We feel like this group is making a big difference in our lives. We've learned that
women can do things on their own that we never thought we could do. With some of
the money we earn selling baskets, we're building our own women's centre--step by
step, brick by brick--by ourselves! It will be a place where we can work together and
take literacy and other classes to improve our lives. Now some of us are even
running for civic office and taking leadership roles in our communities.
Learn More About Our Project
If you'd like more information about our group or the baskets we make, please write
to us at Kiondo@tziva.org. You are also welcome to visit us. The village has a
comfortable guest house it rents to visitors.
If you'd like more information about our group or the baskets we make, please write
to us at Kiondo@tziva.org. You are also welcome to visit us. The village has a
comfortable guest house it rents to visitors.
