Amani ya Juu, a non-profit sewing and training program for marginalized women throughout Africa, will usher in the upcoming holiday season with a Fair-Trade Christmas Sale, Dec. 5-7, at its Chattanooga warehouse center, 420 South Willow St. Sale hours are from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
“We’ll be offering discount prices on select Amani items during the sale,” says Molly Gardner, event coordinator for Amani ya Juu’s Chattanooga location, adding, “and, as with any Amani purchase, the proceeds will go directly toward our production locations in Africa.”
Amani offers a selection of handbags, home and kitchen décor, jewelry and children’s items, all hand crafted from local African materials. Each product not only reflects materials unique to the region, but also showcases the training and talents of the individual creators, who employ methods such as stitching, screen printing and batik in their designs.
Amani ya Juu, which means “higher peace” in Swahili, is a fair-trade sewing and training program for marginalized women in the African nations of Kenya, Liberia, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. Through Amani, women not only gain experience in stitching and design, but also in business skills such as purchasing, bookkeeping, quality control and management. Amani ya Juu is dedicated to helping these women to work together through faith in God, who provides a higher peach that transcends cultural and ethnic differences, officials said.
The organization, which was begun in Nairobi in 1996 by four women, including Chattanooga native, Becky Chinchen, now has five locations in Africa, as well as locations in Washington, D.C. and Chattanooga. For more information, visit amaniafrica.org, and look for Amani on Facebook. Amani ya Juu is a Fair Trade Federation member.