Indego Africa Explained

Indego Africa
Founded Date:	November 2007
Location:	New York (United States) and Kigali (Rwanda)
Key People:	Karen Yelick (CEO)
Homepage:	http://www.indegoafrica.org/

Indego Africa (standing for "independence, development and governance") is a nonprofit social enterprise, founded in 2007, which works to establish for-profit women's cooperatives in Rwanda, and partners with them to produce and sell handcrafted products.^[1] It uses the profits, along with grants and donations, to fund education programs in business management, entrepreneurship, literacy, and technology.^{[2] [3] [4] [5]}

Indego Africa was founded in 2007 by father and son Matt and Tom Mitro.^[2]

Partnerships

Indego Africa's partnerships with Rwandan female artisans have included:

• in 2007: a partnership with "Cocoki", a cooperative of 30 artisans in Kigali.^[6]
• in 2011: partnerships with 11 cooperatives of 300 artisans, producing tote bags for Steven Alan and Anthropologie and bangles for Nicole Miller.
• in 2014: partnerships with 18 cooperatives of over 600 artisans, producing items for designers and brands including Anthropologie,^[7]

Notes and References

1. News: Wax . Emily . Africans bring their continent's style to the worldwide fashion scene . 6 April 2023 . Washington Post . 30 June 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180301104145/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/africans-bring-their-continents-style-to-the-worldwide-fashion-scene/2011/06/14/AGeOYosH_story.html . 1 March 2018.
2. Web site: Indego Africa About Us . Indego Africa . 2014-10-20.
3. Web site: The New York Times. Suqi. Rima. 2013-10-09. The New York Times. 2014-10-20.
4. The Indego Africa Project. McGinn. Kathleen. 2010-11-15. Harvard Business Review. 2014-10-20.
5. Book: Schnable . Allison . Amateurs Without Borders: The Aspirations and Limits of Global Compassion . 2 February 2021 . University of California Press . 9780520300958 . 42–46 . 6 April 2023.
6. Book: Jiménez-Zarco . Isabel Ana . Moreno-Gavara . Carme . Sustainable Fashion: Empowering African Women Entrepreneurs in the Fashion Industry . 8 March 2019 . 131 . 6 April 2023.
7. Web site: Vogue Magazine. Stadlen. Rebecca. 2014-07-10. Vogue.com. Condé Nast. 2014-10-20. 2015-05-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20150520040410/http://www.vogue.com/946925/ps-i-made-this-photo-diary-indego-africa/. dead.
8. Web site: Now You Can Shop the Colorful Mission For Good. Cohen. Laura. 2014-07-10. Marieclaire.com. Hearst Corporation. 2014-10-20.
9. Web site: Empowering Female Entrepreneurs in Rwanda. Stone. Benjamin. 2014-10-04. Council on Foreign Relations Development Channel. Council on Foreign Relations. dead. 2014-10-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20141020194709/http://blogs.cfr.org/development-channel/2014/04/10/empowering-female-entrepreneurs-in-rwanda/. 2014-10-20.
10. News: Mustafa . Ayesha . The fashion brands empowering women in developing countries . 6 April 2023 . The Guardian.
11. Mutegwaraba . Esperance . 2019-03-04 . From where I stand: "I never gave up and I am learning everyday" . UN Women. 2023-04-06.
12. Web site: Indego Africa Impact. 2014-10-20. Indego Africa. 2014-10-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20141020215622/https://indegoafrica.org/impact. dead.
13. Web site: Indego Africa 2014 Social Impact Report. 2014-10-20. indegoafrica.org. Indego Africa. 2014-10-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20141020215154/https://indegoafrica.org/uploads/reports/SocialImpactReport_2014_Web.pdf. dead.
14. Web site: Feel-Good Scarves | Anthropologie|date = 2010-09-30|access-date = 2014-10-20|website = The New York Times Style Magazine|publisher = The New York Times Company|last = Zalopany|first = Chelsea}} DANNIJO, J Crew], Jonathan Adler, and Madewell.^{[7] [8]}

    Education

    On October 1, 2014, Indego Africa launched a Leadership Academy in Kigali, Rwanda to provide advanced business education programs.^{[9] [10]}

    Indego Africa runs programs supported by UN Women and funded by the government of Sweden to teach female refugees entrepreneurial and banking skills.^[11]

    Social impact

    Indego Africa's reports to date show steady improvements in its partners' income, educational outcomes, entrepreneurial activities, and quality of life.^[12] As of 2013, 69% of its artisan partners made over $1.50 a day vs. 3% in 2010; 89% reported that Indego Africa trainings helped them run their cooperatives or other businesses; 54% participated in a business outside their cooperative; 77% could afford to send all of their children to school; and 90% could afford healthcare.^[13]

    References

    .