Janet Nkubana is a basket weaver from Rwanda. She is known for her work coordinating the efforts of women in Rwanda to make baskets that are sold in the United States.
Early life
editNkubana grew up in a refugee camp in Uganda because of the Rwandan genocide.[1][2] She was first exposed to basket weaving in the refugee camp, watching her mother and other women make baskets.[1][3] As she grew older, Nkubana and her sister Joy Ndungutse ran a restaurant in the capital city of Uganda, Kampala.[1] Nkubana then ran a hotel in the capital city of Rwanda, Kigali.[1] Nkubana had a background in art and remembers seeing her mother and other women in her community weaving when she was young.[1][4]
Career
editJanet Nkubana is the creator of a company called "Gahaya Links" along with her sister Joy Ndungutse.[1] The company was created in 2003 and incorporated in 2004. They hired women who had been widowed during the Rwandan genocide in 1994.[5] She began selling these baskets at flea markets and began exporting them to Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and the United States.[6] Gahaya Links partnered with EDImports to create baskets for the U.S.A. market.[4] In 2004 Gahaya Links made 12,000 baskets for markets in the United States and sales totaled more than $50,000 USD.[4] In 2005 "Gahaya Links" connected with Willa Shalit to form a partnership with the retail store Macy's.[7][8] The first shipment of product sold out in less than a month in Macy's stores.[4]
As of 2012, Nkubana employed more than 4000 women working in making baskets.[9] Some call the baskets made by Nkubana's company 'peace baskets' because the women making the baskets come from tribes that were at war in the 1994 genocide.[10]
Awards and honors
editIn 2008, Nkubana shared the Africa Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End of Hunger with Faiza Jama Mohamed.[11] She was the 2008 Africa Prize laureate.[12]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f Hunt, Swanee (2017). Rwandan Women Rising. Duke University Press. doi:10.1215/9780822373568. ISBN 978-0-8223-6257-9.
- ^ "Janet Nkubana". The Santa Fe New Mexican. 2015-07-08. pp. Z026. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
- ^ Roberts, Kathleen (2020-11-22). "Under an online hammer". Albuquerque Journal. pp. N6. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
- ^ a b c d McLymont, Rosalind (2006). "The Women of Gitarama; Landing at Macy's Against the Odds". Network Journal.
- ^ Young, Robb (2006-02-23). "African artisans with global designs". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
- ^ Burns, Julia (2011). "Healing the Heart of Rwanda: Towards a Theory of Transformative Reconciliation" (PDF). Cornell University.
- ^ Tzemach, Gayle (2005-09-19). "Profitable steps for Rwandan women". The Los Angeles Times. p. 24. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
- ^ Morris, Keiko (2006-03-15). "The thousandth stitch". Newsday. p. 36. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
- ^ Naraynen, Prema (14 October 2012). "High value stores understand skill". The Times of India ; New Delhi [New Delhi] – via Proquest.
- ^ Ellis, Jessica; Lillian, Leposo (2012-06-19). "Rwandan basketmakers weave their way into Macy's". CNN. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
- ^ "Award is for all Rwandans – laureate winner". The New Times. 2008-10-30. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
- ^ "Craftwork puts Rwandan women on path to peace". The Atlanta Constitution. 2009-12-12. pp. B2. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
External links
edit- "Gahaya Links" official website: https://gahayalinks.com/