For centuries, Rwandan women have taken up basket weaving as part of their rite of passage into adulthood. The baskets, which are woven with a variety of organic reeds and grasses using traditional tools, carry designs with longstanding and particular cultural meanings.

Following the Rwandan Genocide, the Gahaya Links Cooperatives were founded as a way of turning Rwanda’s ancient basket weaving tradition into a source of livelihood for the rural women who found themselves without any means of support. The members receive eighty percent of revenues from the sale of their pieces, while the remaining twenty percent goes into a Cooperative savings account. This model has proved remarkably successful in generating a livable income for many of its members and has contributed to the rebirth of Rwanda following the genocide. Joy Ndungutse is the sister of Janet Nkubana, co-founder of Gahaya Links, and, like Janet, learned to weave from their mother.

The Gahaya Links Cooperatives specialize in making the elegantly-shaped, conical “peace” baskets that have earned these talented and entrepreneurial women international fame. In 2005, the baskets and the women were featured in the magazine of American talk show icon, Oprah Winfrey. The baskets have also been promoted in the displays of Macy’s department stores throughout the United States.

At the 2011 Folk Art Market, the “peace” baskets of master basket weaver Barbra Mbabazi were featured among the work selected and represented by Janet Nkubana. The Gahaya Links Cooperatives were supported by Fair Winds Trading at the 2008 and 2009 Folk Art Markets.