Meet the seamstress who sewed your bag!

Félicité Tuyisabe | 39 years old | Brown “Burundi” Bag
Felicité is very happy and grateful to be on the sewing team. She plans to invest in a portion of land where she will cultivate cassava, beans and maize. And, because of a lack of funds, she has not been able to see her family in 17 years. With her earnings as a seamstress, she now has a ticket and plans to visit her family who lives near Tanzania.

Jacqueline Ndayisaba | 45 years old | Blue Bag
Jacqueline has 20 years experience in sewing, and provided for herself and her family through her trade. She says the sewing has given her a good life. When she was asked if she would be a teacher for the 4 girls from Kamakara, she agreed right away to help, saying “I was lucky long time ago to have the opportunity to learn how to sew, therefore it is also my duty to give these young women the same chance in life as I got.”

Micheline Tuyiseng | 21 years old | Red Bag
Through her career as a seamstress, Micheline earns her own wages and is able to invest in her other interests. She embraces her independence and says she is happy to know she is securing a good life and future for her 1-year-old son.

Claudette Niyondiko | 23 years old | Salmon & Black Bag
Claudette dreams of making the sewing cooperative stronger and bigger, and even dreams of being the manager of the sewing team some day. She is happy to be able to earn her own money, so she can be independent and spend her wages the way she wants to. Claudette is saving for the future so she can make her own dress designs that she hopes to sell at the markets in the big towns of Burundi. She is also investing her money in her three boys’ education.

Chadia Hafashimana | 17 years old | Orange Bag
She is pursuing a life of sewing and is able to make dresses and school uniforms. She wants to invest the wages she earns in buying cows, goats and a small piece of land. With this financial independence, she will be able to freely choose her future husband.

About the product:

This holiday season, Pacha is offering special Lump O’ Coal bags for the first time! Each bag is hand-sewn by women in Burundi, Africa, providing them with career opportunities in sewing and commerce. The bags are also reversible, featuring beautiful Africa Igitenge on the inside; there are 5 unique patterns to choose from. And each Lump O’ Coal bag holds 3 mini Lump O’ Coal bars. BAGS AVAILABLE ONLY AT YOUR LOCAL WHOLE FOODS