Description
Join us at Azizi Life’s main office & boutique in Byimana, Ruhango for an exclusive one-on-one, small group, or family crafting Experience. Each session is two hours of crafting bliss with our team’s artisan expert, together with an Azizi Life translator. With coaching, you will create a craft of your choice to take home with you! We would also love to offer you a tour of Azizi Life. Meet our team, see our multifaceted impact, and learn about our unique community development model.
We have a variety of crafting forms for you to choose from. Our team customizes the workshop for each participant, and will be in touch by email to talk over your preferences. For example, would you like to spend time seeing how the materials are harvested and the fibers are prepared? Would you like to learn about the daily life of the artisans or the traditional uses of the craft? Are you an experienced crafter looking for an intensive or more complex crafting Experience? Just let us know!
Ask us about special Crafting Experiences for children or teens.
All of our Crafting Workshop Experiences take place at the Azizi Life main office & boutique in Byimana, Ruhango (about one and a half hours drive from Kigali). We would be happy to help arrange transport to Azizi Life Ruhango. Simply email our team for more information.
For more information, please do not hesitate to email us on experiences@azizilife.com or call us on +250-7858-1146. Please note that this number is in Rwanda and so there may be a time difference and extra charges for an international call.
How to prepare for your visit:
- Crafting can require some keen eyesight- don’t forget your glasses!
- Your workshop will take place in the gardens at Azizi Life or in our sitting lounge if it’s a rainy day (or if you’d rather sit nice and comfy on a couch). Come prepared to spend time in the sun.
- For attire, trousers or shorts are both acceptable for men. It’s best for women to wear trousers or a skirt that covers the knees, as Rwandan women usually don’t show their knees.
- Feel free to bring a camera or video camera.
- If you are a crafter yourself and would like to show your own craft to the artisan, please feel free to bring those materials along- she would love that!
- There will be a translator with you throughout your visit; feel free to ask as many questions as you wish.
- Please ensure that you have health insurance to cover your visit. We do all we can to ensure your safety during your visit. In the case of an accident, we will ensure you get appropriate medical attention. However, you must cover the costs through your insurance.
You Should Also Know That:
- Our expert artisans are a lovely. They know that you are coming to gain an understanding of the specific crafts and will encourage you to join in with every step.
- Very occasionally, in the community, a neighbor may ask you for money. People often ask each other for money here, and are not offended by a refusal. They are all the more likely to ask a white visitor, as Rwandans often think that white people are fabulously rich. If asked for money, it is best to say no. Your visit is already benefiting the community: the artisans earn a fair wage for your visit, often saving their payment in a joint account and then spending it on something substantial such as a cow. Their families benefit directly, and so does the wider community. This is because a host will often pay a neighbor to work her fields while she is busy hosting your visit. Additionally, we donate 5% of tourism revenues to our local nonprofit, Azizi Life Impact, for community development work.
