JOURNAL

Get close to the magic of basket weaving with Gladys Malemba in this short video, shot at her homestead in the Taita Hills. She shares some of the secrets of twining, natural dyeing, and basketweaving.

Our work in Kenya is only possible with the dedication of our Kenyan team members, including our newest addition, Lawreen Nyae. Because of Laureen, we we're able to respond to the needs of our community and make sure that women are seen, heard, and supported. 

Despite the setbacks with COVID, the Zawadisha family continues to grow as fearless women take initiative to support their communities. When they help us introduce our microlending model to new groups in new regions, we are able to fund more loans and help these women get closer to achieving their dreams.

Zawadisha relies on a strong network of local women leaders. With this powerful community, we are able to provide loans and tools to rural Kenyan women who have dreams of financially supporting their families and pursuing their ambitions outside of the home. We’d like to recognize an integral part of this community, a woman who is a leader and visionary: Betina Samba.

This month, we want to spotlight Susan and all of the wonderful work and progress she has made throughout her life and the time that we have worked with her. Zawadisha hopes to continue working with change-making women like Susan and empower more women who strive to support their communities.

We can choose to shop in a more conscientious manner, by ensuring that even if we’re not buying local, we are buying handmade. This type of conscientious consumerism supports local economies around the globe and reduces waste and environmental harm.