The History
The Rwandan genocide occurred in 1994 and lasted a span of 100 days. The genocide stemmed from tensions between different ethnic groups within the country. Neighbors turned on neighbors and families were torn apart. Every Rwandan was affected by this -- more than 800,000 people were slaughtered during this time. In the aftermath, Rwandans realized that the only way to get over the horrors of the past was through forgiveness and unity. The women connected through Imwe are survivors of this genocide. Imwe represents this unity, and is building a way for these women to have a better life post-genocide.
To learn more about the genocide visit this link:
The Economic Impact
Buying from Imwe will have a bigger impact than you might imagine. Before the launch of this brand, these women made about $1,000 US dollars a year. If you think about your typical expenses, it is easy to spend $1,000 in less than a month in America. The average individual in Rwanda makes about $3 US dollars a day. You can easily spend more than $3 a day simply by buying a cup of coffee in America.
With 100% of the profits going directly back to the women, we hope to radically change their lives by giving them opportunities to have higher incomes. These higher incomes will allow these women to provide for their families and improve their overall quality of life. These bags change lives.