INDEGO AFRICA PROJECT
21-21 41ST AVENUE NO 2E, LONG ISLAND CITY, NY 11101 www.indegoafrica.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: INDEGO AFRICA IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO EMPOWERING ARTISAN WOMEN IN AFRICA THROUGH EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND EDUCATION. WE PROVIDE MORE THAN 1,200 WOMEN AND YOUTH IN RWANDA AND GHANA WITH SUSTAINABLE INCOME BY DESIGNING AND SELLING PRODUCTS THAT THEY MAKE BY HAND, AND HELPING THEM DEVELOP THE SKILLS TO SUCCEED IN THE GLOBAL ARTISAN ECONOMY. WE INVEST 100% OF OUR PROFITS FROM PRODUCT SALES, COUPLED WITH GRANTS AND DONATIONS, INTO CUSTOM BUSINESS, LEADERSHIP, AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR OUR ARTISAN PARTNERS AND YOUTH IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

VOCATIONAL AND BUSINESS TRAINING: THIS PROGRAM HELPS UNEMPLOYED YOUNG WOMEN IN RWANDA AND GHANA ENTER THE ARTISAN WORKFORCE AND ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE. AS INSTRUCTORS AND MENTORS, OUR EXPERIENCED ARTISAN PARTNERS TRAIN YOUNG PEOPLE IN TRADITIONAL CRAFT TECHNIQUES. INDEGO AFRICA PROVIDES THESE WOMEN WITH THE BUSINESS EDUCATION THEY NEED TO MANAGE THEIR OWN ENTERPRISES, KEEP TRACK OF THEIR FINANCES, AND PUT SAVINGS AND GROWTH PLANS INTO ACTION. WE ENSURE OUR GRADUATES ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE SKILLS OF THEIR TRAIDE, AND OFFER THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO JOIN A COOPERATIVE OR LAUNCH AN ARTISAN ENTERPRISE OF THEIR OWN. SINCE WORKING WITH INDEGO, 95% OF OUR ARTISAN PARTNERS HAVE LEARNED NEW TECHNICAL SKILLS AND PRODUCT DESIGNS. 245 OF OUR ARTISAN PARTNERS HAVE GRADUATED FROM INDEGO'S VOCATIONAL & BUSINESS TRAINING PROGRAMS. ALL GRADUATES ARE ABLE TO GENERATE INCOME AS INTEGRATED MEMBERS OF INDEGO'S GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN. SINCE 2010, 26 NEW COOPERATIVES HAVE BEEN LAUNCHED IN RWANDA AND GHANA.ECONOMIC INCLUSION FOR REFUGEES: THIS PROGRAM ADDRESSES THE UNIQUE LIVELIHOOD AND FINANCIAL CHALLENGES REFUGEE WOMEN FACE. BY PROVIDING 180 BURUNDIAN AND CONGOLESE REFUGEES AT THE MAHAMA AND KIGEME REFUGEE CAMPS IN RWANDA WITH ARTISAN SKILLS, BUSINESS TRAININGS, AND MARKET ACESS, INDEGO IS HELPING THEM INTEGRATE IN THEIR HOST COUNTRY'S LABOR FORCE AND ACHIEVE LONG-TERM ECONOMIC SECURITY FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. SINCE THE PROGRAM'S LAUNCH, FOUR NEW COOPERATIVES HAVE BEEN FORMED ACROSS RWANDA, ALL OF WHICH ARE CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF INDEGO'S GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN. 92% OF OUR REFUGEE PARTNERS ARE THE PRIMARY INCOME EARNERS FOR THEIR FAMILIES.

MARKET ACCESS: PROVIDING ARTISANS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO EARN STEADY, SUSTAINABLE INCOME IS A KEY ELEMENT OF INDEGO'S MARKET-BASED IMPACT MODEL AND INTERNATIONAL SUPPLY CHAIN. FROM CONDUCTING QUALITY CONTROL AND FOLLOWING PRODUCT MEASUREMENTS, TO MANAGING TIME AND DEVELOPING BUSINESS PLANS, OUR PRODUCTION TEAMS IN RWANDA AND GHANA HELP REINFORCE OUR PARTNERS' PRACTICAL SKILLS WITH THE ONSITE GUIDANCE AND TRAINING THEY NEED TO CREATE HIGH QUALITY PRODUCTS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL EXPORT MARKET AND SUCCEED IN THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE. INDEGO AFRICA PLACES PURCHASE ORDERS FOR ARTISAN-MADE PRODUCTS, SHIPS THE PRODUCTS TO NEW YORK CITY, AND MARKETS AND SELLS THE PRODUCTS BOTH WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TO INTERNATIONAL CLIENTS. INDEGO SOLD 8,775 UNITS AND EARNED OVER $430,000 IN GROSS SALES REVENUE, INCLUDING PRODUCT PURCHASES FROM THE ARTISANS, WITH ALL PROCEEDS INVESTED IN OUR EDUCATION PROGRAMS. WITH THE SUPPORT OF THIS PROGRAM, 90% OF OUR ARTISAN PARTNERS CAN AFFORD TO SEND ALL OR MOST OF THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL, AND 94% HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE FOR THEIR ENTIRE FAMILIES.

LEADERSHIP AND TECHNOLOGY TRAINING:INDEGO AFRICA'S YOUNG LEADERS ACADEMY PROVIDES GRADUATES OF OUR VACATIONAL & BUSINESS TRAINING PROGRAM IN RWANDA WITH THE ADVANCED BUSINESS EDUCATION AND INTENSIVE TECHNOLOGY TRAINING THEY NEED TO ENHANCE THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THEIR COOPERATIVES AND SPREADHEAD CHANCE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. BY ADDRESSING A GAP IN ADVANCED ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING AVAILABLE TO YOUNG PEOPLE, WE'RE HELPING BUILD THE NEXT GENERATION OF FEMALE LEADERS IN AFRICA. OVER HALF OF THE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY GRADUATES STARTED NEW ENETERPRISES AND 82% OF GRADUATES NOW HOLD NEW LEADERSHIP POSITIONS AT THEIR COOPERATIVES, INDEGO AFRICA'S TECHNOLOGY TRAINING FOR THE WORKPLACE PROGRAM PROVIDES YOUNG COLLEGE GRADUATES IN RWANDA AND GHANA WITH TECHNOLOGY TRAINING, JOB APPLICATION GUIDANCE, AND BUSINESS SOFT SKILLS TO HELP THEM ENTER AND SUCCEED IN THE WORKFORCE. IT IS PART OF OUR GROWING MISSION TO PROVIDE DIGITAL ENTREPRENUERSHIP RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE BROADER COMMUNITIES WHERE WE WORK. 100% OF GRADUATES IMPROVED THEIR COMPUTER SKILLS AND OVER HALF WERE EMPLOYED BY THE END OF EACH FIVE WEEK WORKSHOP.

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