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