What does SHONA mean?
It means "sew" in Swahili.
Who funds you?
SHONA has no outside funding. We really have only the work of our hands, and the incredible support of a community of friends who have rallied around us every step of the way. You are part of this community.
Who owns SHONA Congo?
SHONA started over 15 years ago when Dawn was living in Congo and met Argentine and Mapendo. Our work has taken many different forms over the years. SHONA is now a small business owned by Argentine Imanirakunda in Canada. Dawn continues to volunteer her time to help support the website and empower Argentine to share her work. With your continued support, Argentine hopes to continue to be able to buy handcrafted work from Riziki and Solange in Congo. Thank you for your supporting these talented women.
Where does your money go?
That is a very important question to ask of every organization. Many organizations, have hefty operating expenses and the artisans are only earning a small fraction of the sales price on a product.
With SHONA your money is going straight to the artisans. SHONA has no paid staff, no offices and warehouses, and no advertising budget. That is why you can make such a big difference with SHONA. You can buy a bag, and know that the money is going straight to the people who made it.
We strongly believe that ALL TRADE SHOULD BE FAIR TRADE, in its most true sense. But fair trade can't be just about logos and labels. It is about the FAIR AND JUST EXCHANGE OF GOODS. We believe that the best way to do this is the most direct way. The more that we can buy our goods, directly from the people who create them, the better.