In 2020 we took a break from our retail store and our workshop as a result of the pandemic. Like most small businesses, the lack of demand made it impossible to continue our work. Our piece-rate artisans felt safest returning to their isolated villages during this time, and we sent them with some small orders and a bit of money for data bundles so we could keep in touch.
As result of the lost income of leaving the urban areas, as well as the effects of tourism in Tanzania coming to a halt, our artisans along with may other Tanzanians struggled to make any income at all.
For some people, the uncertainty we were all experiencing around the world was a matter of life and death. For a Maasai woman with 15 dependants who had lost her income to buy food, the future looked bleak.
By May of 2020, it was clear the pandemic was no where near over. We decided that it was time to mobilise our online community to offer support to our Maasai mamas and their villages. Although we knew the whole world was struggling and we did not want to ask for support at such a time, we had to try.
When Mother’s Day came around at the height of the pandemic, we felt that it was the wrong time to expect people to buy gifts and engage in consumerism, but that perhaps our customers and followers would be interested and able to buy gifts for Maasai mamas in the form of food and sanitation kits. The kit would help her to support herself and her multiple dependants for a period of time.
We called it Mama’s Day, where for just a few dollars you could lift the burden of her family’s survival off a Maasai mama’s shoulders just for a week or a month.
Our plan was to try to get some support for the Maasai mamas we know were most in need - those that had health issues, no income, were caregivers, and had a large number of dependants.
Thanks to you, we raised enough money to feed 400 Maasai people for a MONTH, plus provide sanitation packs to numerous families!
You showed our mamas that they are supported by an even bigger village than just their own. You made the world smaller with kindness.
WATCH THE MAMAS RECEIVE THEIR GIFTS
Take a look at how we distributed your gifts out to Maasai mamas across northern Tanzania! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LVXeaBO8yA
JOIN THE VILLAGE
We decided to keep the gifts online as our small business still slowly picks up financially after the pandemic. Some of our artisans could use the extra support up until today, and many people still wish to donate. If you wish to join the impact, you can buy a gift here.
Learn more about the gifts here.
