profile of innovation

Key Ideas

Building self esteem, securing sustainable future, and creating abundance through the force of business is what defines Economic Development Imports (EDImports). The organization has been instrumental in leveraging the skills of women in the developing world to produce native products that could be sold in the developing world, thereby reducing poverty, insecurity and threat.

What makes this different is the scale of the initiative that reaches out to multitude of artisans in the most remote parts of East and West Africa. By being a conduit to the beautiful products made by these women and their huge demand in the markets in the developed world, EDImports has provided the required impetus to pull the artisans and their families out of marginal socioeconomic conditions.

Innovation

The success of EDImports is built on a deep belief in providing income generating opportunities to women in developing countries using business as an agent to bring about this change. The innovation is manifested through the unique, handmade high quality products made by thousands of women artisans in more than 25 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Whether it is working with women who are building post-genocide Rwanda, appreciating the finest quality products made by a country with troubled past but hopeful future like Uganda, or finding the talent in the artisans struggling for food in a densely populated country like Ghana, the EDImports has recognized the unparalleled skills of these artisans and used it to fulfill a demands of such products in the developed world.

The handmade goods include functional and decorative products for home as well as fashion accessories like silver jewelry and handmade textiles from Ethiopia; soapstone, beaded goods and handbags from Kenya and stuffed animals from Mali. These products are made from natural and local materials with minimal environmental impact and social consciousness in terms of Fair Wages.

The business model of EDImports, named as “trade not aid”, defines partnership as the medium to attain the scale of production and distribution that can bring about a tangible change in the lives of these women. From its inception, the organization partnered with ‘One World Projects’ for all warehousing and distribution functions. From 2008, One World Project has also started managing the artisans and the products enabling online purchases for reaching out to a wider customer base.

The objectives do not stop solely at generating trade for the artisans. It includes creating long-term economic viability through programs that help women borrow and save money for the first time in their lives. By engaging with other agencies and partners that provide the equipment and tools to these women, the organization has helped generate income for women with varied skills making myriad products. The partners have also helped build ‘community craft centers’ in many countries. This provides a permanent infrastructure that brings women together to weave, socialize and teach the skills to each other.

In some areas in Rwanda, like Gitarama and Ntenyo, the partner agencies of EDImports helped the women launch a cooperative. This has nine sub-groups with an elected president, secretary and treasurer who manage production, track individual earnings and financial transactions. The women are provided with loans for other business opportunities obliterating dependency and inspiring a spirit of entrepreneurship.

Impact

The organization has brought about prosperity at the grassroots in many East and West African countries. Unemployment rates being as high as 60-70% in countries like Ethiopia, the income generated by EDImports is the sole source of sustainability for the families.

As an example of the ripples turning into huge waves of positive change, the organization, in less than two years, increased its group of basket weavers in Rwanda from a few women in a small village to more than 600 in a small province.

Being an earning member in the family not only improves the economic conditions of the women artisans, but also generates respect from their family members thus reducing social ills like domestic violence. Anecdotal impact is observed as the women gaining purchasing power to get medicine for HIV/AIDS; buying nutritious food and raising money for school fees for their children.

The workshops organized by EDImports often bring together artisans from conflict areas to work as a team creating a sense of camaraderie and enabling peace and harmony in these areas.

Inspiration

The motivation behind the organization is beautifully stated on the organization’s website as ‘ ….the sale of these products demonstrates how business can change lives in ways unachievable through aid programs alone’. The organization is an inspiring example of the potential of business to truly enrich lives.