April 20, 2008

Janet (pictured left) and her sister Joy run a really amazing wholesale basket weaving company! Headquartered out of their mother's former house, they employ over 3,000 women, providing them with training, materials, and a wide range of financial, social, and emotional support.

While visiting their operation this morning, they told us that they specifically recruit HIV/AIDS infected women, single women heads of households, and women in abusive relationships. In their efforts to contribute to the country's reconciliation efforts, they purposefully employ both Hutu and Tutsi women genocide survivors who continue to bridge the ethnic divide on a daily bases as they weave, sing, laugh, eat, and co-exist together.

Janet (pictured left with GRDP President, Chris Hills) and Joy go to remote villages where they invite women to come and stay for several weeks at a time in the dormitory they built in their house. Once they have been trained, the women go back to their villages with the promise to each train at least another weaver. Though these women have developed some rather innovative quality assurance and tracking processes, the Social Entrepreneurship team identified some basic accounting practices that could jeopardize the future of the company.

Janet and Joys' biggest success and opportunity: They just landed a contract to export their baskets to Macy's in New York. If they can increase their scale to 8,000 workers, their baskets could be made available throughout the United States.

Their biggest risk: Expanding their operation without adjusting their financials could quickly run them out of business.

The SEP mentor who will help their realize their vision: Randy Rollinson, president of LBL Strategies, Ltd. (http://www.lblstrategies.com/), a Chicago-based education, training and consulting company that specializes in supporting progressive organizations in defining and executing their strategic direction and operational plans.

Macy's Path to Peace website:
http://www1.macys.com/campaign/rwanda/index.jsp