A saying and a driving force
There is a famous saying in Kinyarwanda that says, “Akebo kajya iwamugarura.” or "The basket goes to those who return it,” it implies that true gratitude is gratitude returned. This is the driving force behind the Akebo initiative, started by Annelle Abatoni Kayisire in 2020.
Meet Annelle Abatoni Kayisire and discover Akebo
MasterCard Schlar Annelle Abatoni Kayisire grew up in Rwanda, Kigali.She is a Biological Sciences and Media Arts student at Wellesley College where she majors in Biological Sciences and Media Arts and Sciences. Annelle is the founder of the Akebo initiative.
What is the Akebo initiative?
Akebo is a space showing hand-woven crafts made by young women from Eastern Rwanda, in Nyamata.
Empowering young women
Akebo is part of the Holistic Life Organization which Annelle started in 2020. This initiative teaches young mothers in Rwanda how to sew. Many of these women join Akebo to become basket weavers after graduation.
Inspired by history and tradition
Rwanda has a long history of basket-weaving, kuboha, and it is our philosophy that this intricate craft is a symbol of patience, candor, and gratitude. This long-lasting culture was the inspiration of this project, both as a business venture and a way to empower women economically through their hand-made products.
How are the works made?
All products are coil-woven, and the raw materials to make them are cultivated and hand-gathered by farmers, who sell them to the weavers. The inside of the coils consists of dry grass and stitched with sisal fiber on the outside of the coil.
The importance of names
All the hand-woven products have names that you will find are common in Rwanda. Akebo believes that naming the craft personalizes and conceptualizes it to the Rwandan culture and captures the intimate process that goes into the hand-making of the art.
The artists
The talented artists whose work is profiled here are:
