Janet Nkubana

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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[edit]

Nkubana 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[edit]

Janet 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 tarted 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[edit]

In 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]

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ "Janet Nkubana". The Santa Fe New Mexican. 2015-07-08. pp. Z026. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  3. ^ Roberts, Kathleen (2020-11-22). "Under an online hammer". Albuquerque Journal. pp. N6. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  4. ^ a b c d McLymont, Rosalind (2006). "The Women of Gitarama; Landing at Macy's Against the Odds". Network Journal.
  5. ^ Young, Robb (2006-02-23). "African artisans with global designs". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  6. ^ Burns, Julia (2011). "Healing the Heart of Rwanda: Towards a Theory of Transformative Reconciliation" (PDF). Cornell University.
  7. ^ Tzemach, Gayle (2005-09-19). "Profitable steps for Rwandan women". The Los Angeles Times. p. 24. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  8. ^ Morris, Keiko (2006-03-15). "The thousandth stitch". Newsday. p. 36. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  9. ^ Naraynen, Prema (14 October 2012). "High value stores understand skill". The Times of India ; New Delhi [New Delhi] – via Proquest.
  10. ^ Ellis, Jessica; Lillian, Leposo (2012-06-19). "Rwandan basketmakers weave their way into Macy's". CNN. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  11. ^ "Award is for all Rwandans – laureate winner". The New Times. 2008-10-30. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  12. ^ "Craftwork puts Rwandan women on path to peace". The Atlanta Constitution. 2009-12-12. pp. B2. Retrieved 2024-03-30.

External links[edit]

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