The women who make Her Best Foot Forward sandals with skill and love are empowered not only through the creative process but by a fair wage which results in positive personal and community development. While the shoes they make are stunning, their beauty is doubled by the financial strength, self-confidence, and education our artisans earn (which they, in turn, extend to others in their family and communities) as they preserve and honor their Maasai heritage and culture.
With your purchase, you affirming the efforts of these women including the artisans pictured below:
With your purchase, you affirming the efforts of these women including the artisans pictured below:
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Meet Her Best Foot Forward's Tanzanian Leader: Sara
Sara began her sandal business after spending time as a nanny to a British family in Tanzania and elsewhere in Africa. She was beloved by the family (as she is by everyone - including her son, Joshua, who joined her for her picture!) but had to return home to care for her ailing mother. Though she attended primary school, she and her older sister, Anna, ended their education earlier than their brothers: at age 14.
Upon her mother's passing, Sara envisioned a life beyond the village and went to a shop in Arusha City to show them things from other places in Africa she had been given by her British family. Though she'd never part with their gifts, the shopkeeper was intrigued by Sara's confidence and spirit - and agreed to sell similar items if Sara could acquire them for her. A natural entrepreneur with a creative streak, as Sara's sales took off, she thought about setting out on her own and wondered, in particular, if she could learn to make the beautiful sandals which so many seemed to covet. Her son would soon be born which would limit her travel to select merchandise and, further, she wanted a better life for her sister. Again leaving the city, she learned the beading techniques of the Maasai and then returned to her village to ask her father's permission to bring her older sister, Anna, to Arusha with her to set up her own shop. Five years later - with both her own shop and her own workshop - Sara's success sits comfortably on her shoulders. We are inspired by her skill and spirit! Meet Her Best Foot Forward Artisan: Fatuma, Beadworker
Fatuma is among the most experienced beadworkers in the workshop. She is 31 years old and the other women treat her as they would a teacher; asking her help with a pattern or stitch.
Fatuma lives with her son (age 7) and daughter (age 12) not far from the workshop. She is close with her siblings, including her only brother. When her brother became ill several years ago, Fatuma had to close the small business she had built selling vegetables. Her brother, stricken by cancer, was able through a government program to travel to India and Fatuma accompanied him to care for him during his recovery. Returning to Tanzania, she no longer had the capital - she estimated she would have needed $50USD - to re-start her vegetable business. She is enjoying working in the workshop but is hopeful that she will earn enough to resume her business, planning to run it during the afternoon with the help of her children after school. She dreams her children will have a great life and education - and successful careers. |
Meet Her Best Foot Forward Artisan: Anna, Lead Beadworker
Meet Anna, Sara's older sister who helps her to run the workshop and her small store in the marketplace. Anna is 42 and she is working to put her son through the university where he is studying to be an accountant. The apple does not fall far from the tree as Anna is the calculator of the beading and supply needs; she is also an accomplished beadworker and, like Sara, can operate any piece of equipment needed to make the sandals.
The sisters work amazingly well together. While the business belongs to Sara, who is younger, she is extremely respectful of Anna. A question about color? Sara defers to Anna with pride: "My sister is wonderful with colors." A special shape? "My sister will know the best way." Like Sara, Anna was born in Nkungi Village (about six hours from Arusha). She has never traveled beyond Tanzania and lived in the Village until 2009. Working in the workshop gives Anna an income she has never had: until four years ago, she stayed in the Village, attending primary school as a child (Sara and Anna's three brothers were able to pursue higher levels of education - but not the sisters). As an adult. her work was to maintain her father's shamba - a small farm - where she grew vegetables if the weather, pests, and challenging soils allowed. Though her father could provide shelter and food, no income was provided. Today, she does every single job imaginable in the workshop - operating machinery, selecting color patterns, correcting stitches, and creating new designs. The money she earns allows her to send her only child - a son - to university where he is studying to be an accountant. Meet Her Best Foot Forward Artisan: Asha, Beadworker
Asha has a brilliant smile and is willing to try to speak in English - which is way better than my Swahili! She is 26
years old and married with two children; a boy, age 5 and a girl, age 2. When Asha is working in the workshop, the children stay with their grandmother. On occasion, she will bring one of the children with her - and sometimes she does her beading work from home. Asha and her sister attended primary school near Arusha where they grew up. Their three brothers attended the same school and then were given the chance to continue their education at secondary school. Prior to coming to the workshop, Asha assisted a shopkeeper, selling food that he had grown. She'd like to have her own shop someday, too. but is enjoying the steady salary that the workshop can provide for her and her family. Her dream for her children is that they will receive a great education...and this is something her salary makes possible. |
Meet Her Best Foot Forward Artisan: Agatha, Beadworker
Agatha's confidence and focus in beading the beautiful sandals she makes is remarkable. Now 28, she came to the workshop in 2011 and, first replied that she had never previously had a job.
Further conversation revealed that she worked as a day laborer picking vegetables in the shadow of Kilimanjaro near the village where she was born. The work was sporadic and highly dependent on the weather. Without rain (or if pests destroy the crops that could grow, if rain came) Agatha - and many others - would have no crop to pick or food to eat. Agatha has two children - a boy and a girl - and when I asked her about her dreams for her children, there was no hesitation: for them to be well-educated. Though Agatha was able to attend the government primary school as a little girl. she did not enter secondary school because there was no money for her to do so and she was needed to help with the small farm. She has four brothers; the oldest brother was the only child her family could send. She smiled immediately upon learning that English lessons would soon be offered to the artisans on Sundays. She's a definite "Yes!" Meet Her Best Foot Forward Artisan: Wellu, Beadworker
Wellu is 19 years old and so happy to be working as a beadworker in the workshop.
She is from the Singida region, about 6 hours from Arusha. She came here to find a better life. One of 11 children, she has had significant health issues which greatly delayed her education. She eventually finished primary school some years after most do but was unable to attend secondary. Her father has two wives and the siblings are split between them. About half of her six brothers were able to attend secondary school; none of the girls did so. Still, Wellu indicates that she would like to be a nurse - the educational barriers aside. During her illness the nurses who cared for her were women she came to admire. She is excited to attend our workshop English classes! |