"You people are like God!"

At a weekly team meeting, I asked Jane, the president of BURANGA to share how her meeting went with a new potential KEZA partner. The group she was meeting with was visiting BURANGA for the first time. They are another women’s cooperative that sews material based products that will soon come on as a KEZA partner. I asked BURANGA to meet with them to share ideas about what it takes to become a cooperative and run a business in Rwanda. Jane said, “Have I told you how they treated me the first time I visited their project a couple weeks ago?”

Uh oh, I thought to myself. What happened?

I said to Jane, “No I haven’t heard, tell me.” She smiled and said, “They were very rude.” I thought oh no, this is not going to be good. “But I prayed for them because I know I needed to just be patient. I understood the women just wanted to go home from work.” She said. “So I was patient with them.” She said again, with a big smile on her face.

I thought to myself, this woman is wise beyond her 32 years.

She proceeded, “So before they came to visit BURANGA, I gathered our women together and told them, ‘We need to honor the visitors that are coming to see us today. We need to welcome them very well and make them feel at home here at BURANGA. We have talked about being leaders and teaching other women. Now is our time to be good examples.” They all agreed and welcomed the visitors as warmly as if they were old friends.

After Jane showed the visitors around the BURANGA Center they sat to talk about business. The leaders of BURANGA sat with the leaders of the other cooperative and they shared ideas, problems and solutions. Jane shared that the BURANGA women do not get jealous of each other anymore because they have become a family, so when one woman makes more necklaces than another they celebrate in the accomplishment because it means they have all improved. If one succeeds they all succeed. The leader from the other cooperative said, “Wow you are very good people! That is amazing that you take care of each other that way.” She then asked Jane, “So what do you do when someone is sick and does not work at all?” (This is a common problem for both groups since many of the women are HIV positive). Jane answered, “We take care of her if she is sick. If someone has a baby she takes 2 months off and still gets paid. If she is sick we make sure she is ok, and she comes back to work when she is healthy.”

“You people are like God!” A member of the other organization exclaimed.

Jane laughed. “No, we are family. It’s simple. We take care of each other so that we all can move forward.”

I interrupted Jane trying to hide the tears welling up in my eyes, and said, “Jane this is huge. Yes it’s a simple story but you are living Ubuntu and you are showing others that it truly is possible to do so. You are true leaders and with humility and kindness you have shown others Ubuntu. When Jared and I first talked about what KEZA could be, this is what we talked about. We talked about you being leaders and being examples of Jesus to others through your business and the community you’ve created in BURANGA.”

Jared said, “Yes exactly. You are living like Jesus, you aren’t just talking about Him, but you are showing others his message by living it. Jesus lived the gospel, He didn’t just talk about it. And He expects us to do the same. The first followers of Jesus lived in community like this and took care of each other just as you are doing now.”

Jane continued, “At the end of the meeting the leader from the other cooperative apologized for how they treated me when I visited them. I told her not to worry, that I understand and that I forgive them.”

I couldn’t find the words to express to Jane how deeply her story had touched me. It touches a place deep in my heart where there is a reservoir of desire for how women are viewed in the world, especially in Africa. This simple gesture of showing kindness to someone who has wronged you. To welcoming others, not as a threat, but as family. And at last, of how the women of BURANGA truly care for each other.

They have come a long way in the 3 years they’ve been working together…and have made the biggest leaps in the last year. Through our tribulations last year we were forced to unite. Race or tribe was no longer an issue. No longer are cliques acceptable. No longer are the women competing in a way that harms their competitors, envious if one succeeds. But rather they learned that together they are stronger and can truly pull themselves out of the poverty that has plagued much of their lives. When one is strong, she pulls the weak with her, and in turn when she grows weary, the weak once she pulled with her can now pull her along.

Note From Jared

Ilea and I just met with Jane Mutesi and Jane Uwera (The Janes) at BURANGA after being away from them for almost three months. It’s so great to see them and to be back in the presence of the women. They are strong, vibrant, and so proud of their business. The Janes have done an amazing job of running things and we’re very proud of them. These women will be teaching business to their children one day. They are creating a legacy, for their families, their country, and for the African woman.

Being back in Rwanda is good for my soul. It feels good to be back in the mother land. Once again, I thank God that I get to live this life.

Building the Team

We are finally back in Rwanda. We had a long, but very fruitful visit to the US and enjoyed seeing family, old friends and making lots of new ones. Our team has expanded greatly and our vision is clearer than ever.

One of the coolest events so far this year was Ilea’s television debut on QVC! It was a tremendous success and certainly adds a lot of credibility to the KEZA brand. We are very grateful to everyone that made the QVC show happen, especially Jack Comstock that pushed so hard for us to be on the show. Thank you!

My long time friend Justin Burns has joined the team as Vice President of KEZA. Justin is extremely skilled in business management and development and we’re excited to bring his wisdom (and friendship) into the KEZA Team.

We are also excited to welcome our new Director of Partner Relations, Karen Peltier. She is extremely accomplished in sales and merchandising and is a former procurement agent for SAMS Club, ShopNBC, Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue, and many others. Karen’s expertise adds the edge we need to get into some of these department stores.

As you know, we’re working hard to establish KEZA as a competitive fashion brand. In order to do this, we have recruited a new Fashion Director! Vanessa Gonzalez has just joined our team and brings with her some serious expertise in fashion. Vanessa will be joining us in Rwanda this spring and will then liaise between BURANGA and the fashion world in the West.

Our US team is solid and BURANGA Women’s Cooperative is souring. We made a big splash on QVC (sold out in four minutes!), we have a new (more user friendly) website going up in two weeks, and four new fashion lines coming out this year (including a men’s line)! We also plan to visit Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo and Mombasa, Kenya to bring on new partners near the end of this year. So stay tuned for more adventures from Africa and more fashion news from the US.

Most sincerely,

Jared

Beauty On The Rise

The beauty industry is quite possibly the most secure and rapidly growing industry in Africa. This year we will launch REMBA, meaning “to make beautiful; to beautify; to decorate” in Swahili. We will provide resources, competitions and ongoing education for Africa’s aspiring hair stylists. Our purpose is to create sustainable careers and inspire unity within the beauty industry. REMBA exists to empower and promote African stylists as teachers, mentors and esteemed members of society.

This project is the brain child of Rachel Burney, a Paul Mitchell stylist and long time KEZA intern who has assembled an outstanding team that will join us in Kigali for REMBA’s launch this spring. Rachel’s passion for Africa, and specifically African women sent her our way at the beginning of 2008 and she is now living her dream heading up REMBA.

Another exciting addition is the new Fashion Team, that includes a Fashion Director (candidates are currently being interviewed) and talented students from the highly acclaimed Rhode Island School of Design (www.risd.edu). Lindsay Perkins and Jenny Lai from RISD have been working on some innovative new designs this year and will join us in June to work hands-on with the women of BURANGA. The fashion team will bridge the gap between the international fashion stage in the West and the culturally influenced creations of Africa. This year KEZA will bring to you a whole new world of high end African fashion.
Yours Truly,
Ilea

Same Kind of Different As Me

“…I worried that I was so different from them that we wadn’t ever gon’ have no kind a’ future. But I found out everybody’s different – the same kind of different as me. We’re all just regular folks walkin down the road God done set in front of us. The truth about it is, whether we is rich or poor or somethin in between, this earth ain’t no final resin place. So in a way, we is all homeless – just workin our way toward home.” – Denver Moore, Same Kind of Different as Me

Same Kind of Different as Me is about a modern-day slave, and international art dealer, and an unlikely woman who bound them all together. I finished the book today, with a deep longing to witness more stories just like this. This was a story of Ubuntu. A word I’ve heard a lot this year, and even more so in the last couple weeks and Jared and I prepared for KEZA’s first gala. Ubuntu was the theme of the evening, it was the essence that brought everyone together the night of the 31^st, but more than that it is the essence that spurs on our dreams and desires for KEZA, and ultimately for women in Africa.

Ubuntu speaks of the inter-connectedness of all human beings. It is the essence of being human…and it embodies the truth that we cannot be fully human alone, but that we need each other in order to be fully alive. The women of BURANGA have breathed life into this term for the KEZA family. They have taught us how our struggles, personalities and triumphs intertwine all of our hearts with bonds that are not easily broken. From the women of BURANGA we have learned that ubuntu is not something that is only truth if we believe in the word. But that ubuntu is a truth that lies in the hearts of all humanity; it is true whether or not our hearts are awake to its presence in our lives.

Ubuntu demonstrates love that is unconditional, hope that pierces darkness and faith that changes lives. Loving others runs deep into each of our hearts and touches us in the most profound ways; knowing that someone believes in us is all most of us need to find our own spark within our hearts so that we too can shine.

The women of BURANGA are shining, and their glow is being seen all over the world.