A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE IN ACTION
Founded in November 2006, Indego Africa is an innovative 501(c)(3) nonprofit taking a social enterprise approach to empowering hundreds of women in Rwanda to lift themselves out of poverty. Indego Africa’s model is simple yet powerful ~
(a) partner with cooperatives of world-class artisans in Rwanda, made up entirely of women;
(b) sell their masterful fair trade handicrafts – from stylish yoga bags to vibrant wine coasters to exquisitely hand-crafted baskets – at high-end retailers across the U.S. and on Indego Africa’s WebStore;
(c) pay the women a fair wage, including 50% in advance of production;
(d) return 100% of the profits to its Hand Up program for culturally-tailored training programs in Financial Management, Entrepreneurship, Literacy, & Computers; and
(e) harness local talent to conduct the training programs through a ground-breaking internship program with Orphans of Rwanda International (ORI), a nonprofit that provides university scholarships to high-achieving orphans.
