Cards from Africa
Kigali, Rwanda
In partnership with Shared Interest
Cards from Africa (CFA) was conceived in 2004 by its British founder, Chris Page, his idea was encouraged by a Kenyan doctor who had started a similar endeavour to generate income for women in a Nairobi slum. Chris soon teamed up with Rwandan artist Gabriel Dusabe and together they learned how to make paper and create simple card prototypes.
Their first employee was a young orphaned woman named Ariette. After one month, they asked her to bring another friend to train but she brought two, shortly after, twenty more orphaned youth were trained and the business was born. It is now a registered Limited Liability Company in Rwanda. CfA is a fairly traded business, Located on the outskirts of Kigali.
The opted to call the company Cards from Africa so that they can be able to sell cards from countries across the continent, and not just Rwanda. CFA mission is to improve the quality of life for orphaned youths in Rwanda, through partnerships, they provide staff with quality employment and foster a sense of self-worth and capability.
However, their vision is to also invest in their employee’s future by establishing a program that teaches them practical business skills as well as inspires them with a sense of entrepreneurship.
Their products include greeting cards using recycled handmade paper, calendars, gift bags, Hand-stitched book, and note lets with matching envelopes, light shades, bookmarks, etc.Cards from Africa is amongst the new generation of African businesses setting a trend in our divided world.
They make high quality products, made in one of the poorest countries, available to the international market at competitive prices.
In return, Cards from Africa offer well paying employment to those who need it the most. Their business model is to act as a stepping stone, so that staff may easily transition to another career or start their own business someday.
Currently they are developing a program to effectively teach entrepreneurial, management, and practical business skills to staff. By unleashing creativity, teaching valuable skills, and fostering self-worth, Chris Page is confident that someday they will be able to access the international market themselves and contribute to a thriving economy and better quality of life for all Rwandans.
To find out more about Cards from Africa's amazing work please click
here
Shared Interest
Shared Interest is a co-operative lending society that aims to reduce poverty in the world by providing fair and just financial services. We have been part of the fair trade movement for 20 years and work extensively with community-based businesses in Africa and other continents to help them make the most of fair trade.
We work primarily by providing finance up front to producers, often via their buyers, to enable them to buy raw materials, tools and the other things they need at the time they need them. We also offer longer term loans and other credit facilities to support the development of fair trade businesses.
We currently have more than 8,700 members who have invested over £25 million to allow us to make a range of financial services available to fair trade producers and the businesses that buy, market and retail their goods.
To find out more about Shared Interest's amazing work please click
here
Registered UK Charity no. 1102375
