Tell me a bit about yourself and your self-made company.

I’m fascinated by Art and Design and how it can be merged with international development to address economic, social, and environmental challenges affecting both women and children in developing countries. Combining these aspects enables us to inspire transdisciplinary learning, thus sparking new ways of imagining and envisioning how we might find sustainable ways of living- Through this desire, I founded the Kamana collective, we focus on empowering underprivileged women from disadvantaged communities in East Africa by providing opportunities for them to learn, earn a decent living and be self-reliant. We’ve started off in Kenya and are scaling up the collective to Burundi & Tanzania.

KAMANA translates to 'earn a living', and the mission statement of the business is to stop resources from going to waste by turning off-cuts into high-quality products and empowering artisans with every piece sold.

What made you take the bold step of setting up KAMANA?

It all started with the intention of supporting a struggling grandmother from a local artisan market in Nairobi.

It was a typical hot Saturday afternoon and I was looking for plans, so I ended up making a trip to the local artisan market to grab some souvenirs for my friends in Ireland. While I was walking around the market I was instantly drawn to an elderly woman making unique and beautiful jewellery, we started talking and I came to find out she was a grandmother in her mid 70’s who was struggling to raise her four grandchildren after her daughter had passed away from HIV related complications. It struck me then just how difficult it was for some women to earn enough to raise their children. She told me of women who are forced to sell their bodies to be able to provide basic needs for their children. That alone made my jaw drop! It felt so empowering to know that my small purchase was making such a huge difference for one woman and her family. It was at that moment I felt I had to do something, what started as a visit to a local artisan market and my encounter with “Nana” led to the launch of KAMANA.

Early this year I received a call from our coordinator in Nairobi telling me that the grandmother was in a fatal road accident. She didn’t make it. I felt as though the ground had dropped out from under me. Now that I’ve come out the other side, I realize that this left me with a hefty stack of teachings- Life is short and the time to act is now. I’m not sure why she had to leave during the single most poignant chapter of our start-up journey but it’s given me the drive and motivation to carry on with the vision– my intention is to empower as many women as we possibly can and for them to do the same. "I’ve learned that as women, it's important for us to come together and be the change; when women get together as a group, it’s immensely powerful.”

Tell readers your typical day in the office?

More and more people are starting businesses while juggling a full-time job. Those that are starting up this way are actually 1/3 less likely to fail than those jumping in headfirst. Although starting a business while maintaining a career can offer many benefits like the ability to have financial stability while starting up, it isn’t easy to juggle both a day job and a start-up.

Staying organized and focused while juggling a start-up is key, so it’s even more critical when you are juggling it part-time in order to keep a healthy balance with your day job, start-up and life.

Can you tell readers a bit more about the products you sell?

Our high quality, unique products are wholly made under ethical conditions and the collection features handmade jewellery, bags, wallets, scarves, and cushions which pay homage to my African heritage.

Some of the eco-friendly materials used include sisal fabric, offcuts, and a variety of other leftover materials discarded from factories across the continent. Every piece sold goes towards women empowerment and building school facilities for underprivileged children. We ship international and our collection is available on https://kamana.ie/collections/all and https://www.giftedfromireland.com/pages/seller-profile/kamana

Many of the designs are a collaboration between the artisans and myself. There’s often a lot of back and forth, suggestions on trying different sizes, colours, and sending concepts. It’s a true partnership.

What have been your highlights to date?

Growing a strong team of women has been an inspiration to what is possible. Collectively our resilience, passion, and determination have directly attributed to the business surviving the COVID-19 global pandemic. Launching our collection at Gifted Fair Cork last year and sharing our sustainable story was another highlight and a great experience. I had the good fortune to meet and engage with the audience and I consider myself blessed to have received such incredible support. Through my commitment to giving back to the community, we were able to refurbish school facilities at a children’s home in Nairobi in just a month after launching. The joy in the kids’ faces was priceless!

I’m grateful for Karen Cooney who laid a platform for us and every other support and opportunity that’s come our way.

How important is a support network when self-employed?

A support network is very important regardless of who you have in your circle, it’s always a good idea to have a diverse bunch that you can turn to for advice. Having a variety of outlooks and perspectives to pull from can benefit you and your company.

While it’s important to surround yourself with people who can support you and cheer you on, it doesn’t hurt to have relationships with people who aren’t afraid to criticize you and who won’t hold back which facilitates the growth process.

What are the pros and cons of being self-employed?

I’m not fully self-employed – My first step was to start the collective and then transition. Three months after launching the pandemic hit our shores.

Do you have any words of wisdom for those wanting to start their own company?

To every single one of us females dreaming and desiring to make an impact, know that it is possible. Turn down the noise and distraction and ‘just start’.

I acknowledge the fact that I would not be where I am without the support I’ve received from other women.

What are your future plans?

The vision is to incorporate training centres across East Africa to create employment, help the artisans earn a better living, and be self-sufficient. I realize the power of women empowerment and education to overcome poverty, so to be able to scale this is the main goal.

Lastly, do you have a life motto?

“I am seeking, I am striving, I am in it with all my heart.”― inspired by Vincent van Gogh

I have several mantras that I live by; they relate to what I am looking to cultivate and create in my business and life. This mantra keeps me grounded and reminds me throughout the day to continue striving towards my goals and trust the process.

Self Made with Rosemarie Kamana