Cards From Africa

The idea for Cards from Africa came to British founder, Chris Page, in 2004. Inspired by a Kenyan doctor who had started a similar endeavor to generate income for women in Nairobi, Chris 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, whom a month after beginning this venture asked to bring another friend to train. She brought two, and, shortly afterwards, twenty more orphaned youth were trained forming the business known today as Cards from Africa.

Today, Cards from Africa is associated with a new generation of African businesses setting a trend in a divided world. Working towards improving the quality of life for orphaned youth in Rwanda, these talented artisans create high quality products, made in one of the poorest countries, available to the international market at competitive prices.

Cards from Africa’s profits are continually reinvested into company operations in addition to the lives of their artisan staff with the aspiration to grow and provide steady employment to 300-orphaned young people in Rwanda. Each artisan receives fair wages, valuable life skills training, and the opportunity to transition easily to another career or start their own business. Additionally, Cards from Africa and its artisans provide a model for sustainable job creation in Africa, including the opportunity to participate in a developing program center around effectively teaching entrepreneurial, management, and practical business skills to Cards from Africa artisans. By unleashing creativity, teaching valuable skills, and fostering self-worth, Cards from Africa believes that someday their artisan staff will be able to access the international market themselves and contribute to a thriving economy and better quality of life for all Rwandans.

Cards from Africa BBC Story

Fair Trade Artisans

Fair Trade Artisans
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The Fair Trader's Passion for Fair Trade

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