I love decorating my home with useful art. The kind of pieces that are functional yet can pass off as decorative as well. When I started looking for an amazing piece for my dining room table I knew I wanted something that was beautiful and stood out and something I could use for everyday use.
When I heard about the Rwanda Path to Peace at Macy’s I knew I wanted a piece from their collection for my home. And when I opened the box with this gorgeous basket inside, I not only was in love, I felt great about the meaning behind the basket as well and am proud to display it on my dining room table.
Rwanda Path to Peace is a healing journey and a source of sustainable living that utilizes the incredible skill of weaving that is passed down by generations of Rwandan women.
These women have seen their neighbors and their families destroyed by genocide and ethnic cleansing, leaving many of them broken and hopeless, lost in a country where women are considered second-rate citizens because of their gender.
Although the genocide was over a decade ago, the recovery from a tragedy of this magnitude is a constant struggle. The sale of the baskets through Macy’s has given these women a source of sustainable income and pride.
The project and the income it generates has:
- improved the lives of at least 18,000 children
- provided access to education
- provided access to health care
Educational Benefits
The weavers are now able to pay school fees, purchase essential supplies and provide shoes and clean uniforms. They can even afford kerosene and candles to provide light in the evening so children can complete their schoolwork.
Health Benefits
Weavers are also able to meet their children’s health and nutritional needs, and perhaps most importantly, they now have affordable health insurance and access to medical care when they need it.
Pride and Recognition
Beyond the obvious benefits of scholastic supplies and health care, the children in weavers’ communities are benefiting in a number of less tangible ways. They feel immense pride in their mother’s ability to provide for them, praising them to friends and telling classmates that their mother’s baskets sell in America.
The children are also enjoying strengthened relationships with their fathers who look after them while their mothers weave. The strong, cooperative relationships being forged between women and men are providing excellent examples for the future.
These women are warriors and have found a way to restore hope and love among their communities and families with the sale of their baskets. The baskets are a symbol of strength and courage among the Rwandan women who weave them. For more info go to www.Macys.com/Rwanda.
Disclaimer: I received a Rwanda Path to Peace fair trades fruit bowl for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
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It is sad what Rwanda has/is going through and these are beautiful pieces to help get people involved in the cause and to remind us every time we see it how lucky we are and to perhaps think of more ways to help others.
Beautiful! It’ is nice to see a large company like Macy’s working to help such a worthy cause.
It’s good to see that these women have found a way to make a living and provide for their families.
What a great project that’s improving the lives of so many! The baskets are beautiful too.
It’ is so good to see a large company works to help all those people
not only is this a great program , the basket is very pretty, the clolors go with my family room perfect
Such a wonderful program! The baskets are beautiful!