Rwanda Path to Peace Program
Disclaimer: I was gifted a product from the Macy’s Heart of Haiti line however all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
The holidays are all about giving and spreading joy, love and gratitude and The Rwanda Path to Peace product line sold at Macys.com gives all year long by offering sustainable income to Rwandan basket weavers and allowing them to support their families with dignity and purpose.
This holiday season, start shopping with purpose by shopping the hand-woven products ranging in prize from $20-$100 sold in Macy’s stores as part of the Rwanda Path to Peace program. made by basket weavers in Rwanda.
This year, we have incorporated our handmade Rwanda Gold Ornament 2016 Year Of Peace Inaugural Edition into our holiday decor and it fits in perfectly. It is a unique addition to our Christmas tree and the best part is that we are assisting a sustainable trade-not-aid program in areas of crisis to support those in need. These basket weavers earn roughly ten times the average Rwandan wage. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Rwanda Path to Peace program Macy’s is featuring special baskets, woven to represent 10 years of peace and prosperity.
After the genocide, which tore the ethnic communities of Rwanda apart, the country was looking for a positive symbol that all sides could endorse. Beautiful baskets had been part of Rwanda’s culture for centuries. Their craft and artistry were celebrated by all sides and across the ethnic divide. When the Rwanda Path to Peace program began, the basket became the symbol that all Rwandans could embrace. And as women from formerly warring tribes came together to weave, the Path to Peace program became a vital tool to foster reconciliation.
Rwanda Path to Peace is now the longest-lasting program of its kind, impacting thousands of women throughout Rwanda, their families and communities. With their earnings, women can now send their children to school. They can buy everything from soap to land, malaria nets to health insurance. The income they earn from their handiwork has helped rebuild their communities. One of the first things a weaver does when she sells her first basket is buy soap. The next thing she does is buy shoes and pay school fees. Many weavers today have seen huge improvements in their lives.