Janet Nkubana tells the amazing story behind Gahaya Links Collective

Nearly two decades after the Rwandan genocide, women of the formerly warring Hutu and Tutsi tribes are sitting down together to weave baskets for the Gahaya Links collective. “[It's] really amazing to see how a small piece of work, how culture can restore values in people, how healing comes through a small basket,” said Janet Nkubana to CNN in an interview this week. Read her amazing story and watch her fascinating interview [here] to find out how, against all odds, Nkubana helped to organize women in Rwanda and found the Gahaya Links collective.

The collective started its operations in 2004 and has grown from 47 to over 4,500 weavers.  At past Markets, Janet Nkubana has been the representative for Gahaya Links. This year, her sister Joy Ndungutse, will be in Santa Fe.

Joy Ndungutse will represent Gahaya Links at this year’s Market.

Joy is a native Rwandan whose story begins in a Ugandan refugee camp; there she grew up with her mother and sisters and it was in the camp that she first learned to weave baskets. Luckily for Joy, she received an education and later had the opportunity to come to Washington D.C. where she helped found the Ugandan Women’s Effort to Save Orphans (UWESO) Washington Chapter. When she later returned to her native Rwanda after the genocide, she and her sister saw the devastating aftermath of the tragedy on many women in the country who, after their husbands were killed, were left as the sole breadwinners of the family. Basket weaving is a common craft taught to Rwandan women, and it was Joy and Janet’s dream to see the handiwork of these women turned into a method of making income for their families.

Today, thousands of formerly impoverished women are earning money from their art. “Once you earn an income,” said Nkubana to CNN, “you are economically empowered. You are given a voice, you can argue your values, you can argue your point, you can argue your rights.” One way to support the women is to check out their work at the Santa Fe International Art Market this year and meet the co-founder of Gahaya Links, Joy Ndungutse at booth number 78.

By Emilou Kinsella

Guest blogger, Emilou Kinsella is a Montreal ex-pat living in the Bay Area who loves people’s stories, be they told in person or through podcast.