Bahati Women

BAHATI WOMENS GROUP - KENYATTA, KATANGI, KENYA

One of the largest co-operative groups in Kenya, formed as a direct result of the new procedures of direct payment and corruption avoidance implemented by JAMBOHUT. JAMBOHUT pays 90% of the cost price direct to the weavers and 10% to the co-operative for its running costs. JAMBOHUT then adds a further 10% for community projects.

One woman produces one basket every week. JAMBOHUT is tasked with selling 22,000 baskets a month in order to produce an average income per member of 2,000 Kenya Shillings (about £15) per month.

JAMBOHUT supplies scissors, tape measures and suferias, (large pots) in which the sisal is boiled with the natural colourings of soil, sand, charcoal, leaves, tree bark etc to make the specific dyed colours required.

Prior to Jambohut’s involvement the women were producing baskets for sale through Yatta South Womens Group but had not been paid since 2004 and had not attended a meeting of members in 2 and a half years.

For every 100 shillings spent JAMBOHUT add 10 shillings into a community project fund. When originally asked what community project they would like to support, to a woman they said “orphans”. We agreed to form the ”Bahati-Jambohut Orphange”. An orphanage exclusively running as a result of the Fair Trade baskets these women produce. A full list of orphans names and ages is available and the list extends to over 500.

Sale of 22,000 baskets a month at an average of 500 Kenya shillings produces over a million shillings (app £8000) a month for the orphans.

Every basket has the JAMBOHUT logo sewn on it, also sewn on will be a smaller white label, on which the weaver will write her name in indelible ink. This creates authenticity and more closely links the purchaser with the producer.

Bahati is Akamba , (a kswahili dialect) for “Luck”

Consider THE label “BAG OF LIFE” not “bag for life”

Not only is the product made from natural, recyclable and sustainable materials and purchased in a fair trade manner but THIS bag GIVES LIFE AND HOPE to orphans who would otherwise suffer incredible hardship and desperate poverty.

Our task is solely to inform western women about the facts of this producer group, together with the baskets, whose quality and realistic prices complete the sale.

©Jambohut.com Ltd 2007