Corporate Social Responsibility

The Afrodiva established the Mawoko Fine Crafts to give back to the community in Zimbabwe, where its owner Pamhidzai hails from. This community project was inspired by and is a tribute to the late Mabuyesititshini Assah Bamu. Mawoko means ‘hands’ and aims to empower women and youth to produce various quality, handmade jewellery, handbags and fashion accessories, through skills training.

Zimbabweans are full of creative energy and potential, which remain largely untapped and unrealised because of the lack of viable and sustainable economic opportunities. Mawoko Fine Crafts aspires to be a self-sustainable organisation with quality handmade products which are competitive on local and international markets. It hopes to see more Zimbabwean women and youth harnessing their creative potential, using their hands to earn a living and accessing the global fine crafts market.Its mission is to support Zimbabwean women and youth to learn and practice the design and manufacture of high-quality crafts, and empower them to find lucrative distribution channels for them.

Mawoko Fine Crafts is a collective that currently comprises six women aged between 32 and 67. The members  live in rural and urban Zimbabwe and face different life challenges. These range from looking after AIDS orphans, loss of formal employment due to the prevailing economic challenges in the country, looking after extended families and spouses who suffer from terminal illnesses and generally trying to alleviate poverty in their communities.

 

Mawoko’s products include a unique range of  jewellery pieces, including necklaces, earrings and bracelets that are made out of paper beads and quillng, macrame crochet-work.  The collective also produces a stylish range of hand-made fashion and home décor accessories to suit different tastes. The members plan to offer training in macramé, paper bead-making, beading and quilling to individuals and small groups.

 

By shopping the Mawoko Collection here. The proceeds of the sales go directly to the Mawoko team and help to cover their operational expenses. For further information, contact us at mawokofinecraft@gmail.com or (+1) 301 5299075.