The greatest empowerment every woman should have is being empowered financially and mentally. After the 1994 Genocide of Rwanda Against the Tutsi, Rwanda’s population was 70% female.

These women carried the burden and were fighting to rebuild their country. With many having been turned into widows, they had lost their sense of life. Furthermore, their domestic roles became limited in resources and opportunities. Due to the minimal education they couldn’t get simply because they were born female, women of Rwanda are forced to be in informal businesses, living daily without any security or savings.

Naturally, they are exposed to economic vulnerability, gender-based violence, and sexual abuse. Mothers are the backbone of this country; it’s just time and empowerment for them to realise so. Wase recruits those who have lost hope in themselves. We train them with crochet skills which later secures them a source of income. We take time and dive deep into their wishes and goals. Practising handmade art is a form of mental therapy, they would know. So far, Wase employs three single mothers who went from trainees to trainers.

Their fearlessness enables them to go beyond and learn competitive artistic patterns that are unique. With this, they can teach other women who were like them before. We are proud to see these women convinced that the future is bright for them and their children.

One woman at a time to a better world.

Buy Wase’s crochet products.