45 days left to order for Christmas
The Zawadisha holiday gift guide
Gifts under $50 that give back
In the community we call home, a woman is about to get a rainwater tank. She'll never have to walk hours for water again (or ask her daughter to). And the gift you're about to buy for that person who is impossible to shop for, your co-worker who will actually be excited about their white elephant gift, or the person who truly values one-of--a-kind ethical pices, helps make it happen.
Every gift here is handmade by an artisan in Africa, and many are one of a kind. Every purchase funds our community-based microlending program for women in rural Kenya.
- Handmade in Africa
- 501(c)(3) nonprofit
- Free US shipping over $75
THE DETAILS THAT MATTER
- What it is
- Handmade gifts under $50 from artisans in Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Eswatini, and beyond.
- Who it helps
- Every purchase funds no-interest microloans for women in rural Kenya. More than 2,500 women so far.
- Shipping
- A flat $8 within the US, and free on orders over $75.
- Christmas cutoff
- Order by December 17 for US delivery. Expedited shipping available. Digital gift cards arrive instantly.
The gift finder
Find the right gift in two taps
Pick who you're shopping for and your budget. Every piece below is handmade, under $50, and ready to add to your cart.
One click, three stockings
The stocking stuffer trio
Three small, handmade gifts from Kenya, all under $42.00 together. Split them across stockings or tuck them into one very lucky one.
$42.00 for all three
For the person who has everything
A basket nobody else will have
Each sisal basket is coiled by hand by a woman in Taita Taveta County, Kenya, and arrives with her name handwritten on a scrap of cardboard. The one in the photo is exactly the one you'll get.
Small-group trips to Kenya
For the person who collects experiences, not things
Some people would rather have a story than a souvenir. Give them two weeks in Kenya with the women of Zawadisha: real workshops, real villages, and wildlife they'll talk about for years. A deposit holds their spot.
Artisan Safari
- 14 days
- Nairobi to Tsavo
- Small group
Artisan Safari: Your Skillcation Awaits
Learn the craft from the makers themselves. This artisan journey runs from the creative workshops of Nairobi to the wild savannah of Tsavo, with hands-on time alongside the women who weave our sisal baskets.
Cycling Safari
- 15 days
- Maasai Mara to Diani
- All-inclusive
Cycling Safari: Slow Travel on Two Wheels
Slow travel on two wheels. Pedal through the Maasai Mara, glamp in safari tents, meet the women of Zawadisha, and finish on the white sand beaches of Diani.
Gifts that give back
What does a gift from Zawadisha pay for?
Every purchase funds no-interest loans for women in rural Kenya. Women use them for rainwater tanks, solar lamps, clean cookstoves, mattresses, and iron roofs, and pay them back over time. Then the money is lent to the next woman.
2,500+women reached in Kenya
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01
You choose a gift
It's handmade by artisans, cooperatives, and small businesses across Africa, and the makers are paid directly.
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02
She gets a no-interest loan
For a rainwater tank, a solar lamp, a clean cookstove, a mattress, or an iron roof.
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03
The loan keeps giving
She repays it over time, and the same money is lent to the next woman in her community.
Worth stretching for
African Artisan Mystery Box
At least $150 of handmade goods from across Africa, hand-picked by our founder. At $75.00, it also unlocks free US shipping on your whole order.
For the last-minute shopper
A gift card that arrives in seconds
Missed the shipping deadline? A Zawadisha digital gift card arrives by email instantly, never expires, and still funds microloans for women in Kenya.
Good questions
Frequently asked questions
Gifts that give back
What are gifts that give back?
Gifts that give back are gifts where your purchase also supports a cause. At Zawadisha, every handmade gift funds our microlending program for women in rural Kenya, and the artisans who make the goods are paid directly.
Is Zawadisha a nonprofit?
Yes. Zawadisha, which means "to give a gift" in Swahili, is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 46-0583426). Every purchase funds our microlending program for women in Kenya, which has reached more than 2,500 women.
Shopping small for the holidays
Why is it important to shop small during the holidays?
When you shop small during the holidays, your money goes to real people and not to shareholders. Small businesses make a large share of their yearly sales between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, so holiday purchases often decide whether they can keep going. At Zawadisha, every purchase funds our microlending program for women in Kenya. Your gift does good twice: once when it’s opened, and again in a woman’s business.
How does shopping small help communities?
Shopping small keeps money moving among the people who make, sell, and depend on the goods. When you shop at Zawadisha, you support artisans across Africa and fund no-interest, no-collateral microloans for women in Taita Taveta County, Kenya. Those loans pay for things like $500 rainwater tanks, solar lamps, and cookstoves. We’ve served more than 2,500 women in more than 100 women’s groups so far.
What’s the difference between buying from a small nonprofit shop and a big-box store?
A big-box store sells volume, while a small nonprofit shop like Zawadisha sells with a purpose. We know the artisans behind what we carry, and every purchase funds our microlending program in Kenya. You get a well-made, handcrafted gift, and you know where your money goes.
Ethically made
Why should I buy ethically made gifts?
An ethically made gift is one where the people who made it were paid fairly and treated with respect. Cheap mass-produced goods often hide their real costs, like low wages, unsafe conditions, and waste. Buying ethically means your gift supports dignified work instead. At Zawadisha, many of our makers are part of the same communities our microloans serve, so your purchase helps build lasting income.
Are Zawadisha’s products Fair Trade Certified?
Not every product we carry is Fair Trade Certified, but we follow fair trade principles in how we source. That means fair pay, transparent and long-term relationships with artisans, safe working conditions, no child labor, and respect for the environment. Certification can be expensive for small artisan groups, so we focus on knowing our makers and putting the proceeds back into their communities.
What does “ethically made” mean at Zawadisha?
At Zawadisha, “ethically made” means we know where your gift came from and that buying it helps the people behind it. We carry handcrafted, artisanal goods from across Africa. We’ve worked in Kenya for more than 20 years, and every purchase funds no-interest microloans for women there.
Are Zawadisha's gifts handmade?
Yes. Everything we sell is handmade by artisans, cooperatives, and small businesses across Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, Ethiopia, Eswatini, and South Africa. Many pieces are one of a kind.
Unique gifts
Where can I find unique holiday gifts that no one else will have?
The best place to find unique gifts is from small makers, not mass retailers. Zawadisha carries handcrafted, artisanal goods from across Africa. Because they’re made by hand in small batches, many pieces vary from one to the next, so you won’t find them on every shelf. Each gift comes with a story you can share, and it funds microloans for women in Kenya.
Why do people prefer unique gifts over popular ones?
A unique gift shows you chose something for that specific person instead of grabbing what’s trending. Handmade gifts feel more personal, tend to last longer, and come with a story behind them. A handcrafted piece from Zawadisha is useful, beautiful, and connected to real artisans and real impact, and that makes it a gift people remember.
What makes a handmade gift from Zawadisha meaningful?
A handmade gift from Zawadisha carries the skill of the artisan who made it and the impact of where your money goes. Our goods are handcrafted across Africa, and every purchase funds our microlending program, which helps women in Kenya afford things like rainwater tanks and solar lamps for their families.
Why should I buy from Zawadisha when I can find something similar for less somewhere else?
Because you get what you pay for. Cheaper goods often have hidden costs. Far too many are made by the tiny hands of girls who work instead of going to school, or by people who spend their days in factories with poor working conditions. At Zawadisha, everything we curate is ethically produced and improves the lives of women and their families instead of harming them. Every purchase also funds our microlending program in Kenya, so your gift keeps doing good after it’s unwrapped.
Prices and shipping
Do you have gifts under $25?
Yes. Mini Olive Wood Spice Spoons are $6.00, a Surprise Mini Sisal Basket is $18.00, Natural Lamu Solid Perfume is $18.00, and digital gift cards start at $10.00. Tap "Under $25" in the gift finder above to see them all.
When should I order to get my gifts by Christmas?
Within the US, order by December 17. Need it faster? Expedited shipping is available: email jen@zawadisha.org for the price and timeline. Digital gift cards arrive instantly by email.
How much does shipping cost?
US shipping is a flat $8, and free on orders over $75. Digital gift cards are delivered by email, so there's nothing to ship.
Zawadisha means "to give a gift"
Give a gift. Fund the next loan.
Handmade gifts, baskets, jewelry, and home decor that do good twice: once when they're opened, and again in a village in Kenya.