Our Story

 

In 2015, ITARA was established to support mothers of children within the Best Family Rwanda Kunda program to learn the trade of sewing using manual sewing machines.  With the assistance of a product designer based in the United States, the mothers learned how to sew beautiful, unique products with materials purchased in the local Kigali, Rwanda market.  The Rwandan government was supportive of the ITARA initiative and provided a rent free workshop for the women to learn and store their goods. After intensive training for a year and a half, the women are now seeking to establish a sustainable income for their families.

ITARA means "light" and our goal is to shine a path forward out of dependence into a sustainable, confident, and bright future for these women and their families.  

ITARA Studio was formed in late 2017 in order to help ITARA expand outside of Rwanda.  In July 2018, ITARA was approved as a 501(c)(3) public charity in the United States.  All efforts from the United States to support ITARA are performed on a volunteer basis so that 100% of all proceeds are used to help Itara expand and the artisans of Rwanda.