“Upendo” means “love” in Swahili. It reflects how we feel towards the community that we support, and our mission to empower those who create the products we stock. We continue to be inspired by the cultural diversity of Africa. Our shop gives you a window into the unique craftsmanship and culture of different African regions. We pride ourselves on stocking a specialist blend of products that you could only find in Africa.
We believe in the concept of “Ubuntu”, a word which means “I am, because you are” and represents the idea of working together for the greater good by supporting one another. At Project Upendo, we’re proud of our charity work within our community, and we want to share it with you.
Our community of African entrepreneurs is at the heart of Project Upendo. We’re delighted to stock artisan handmade woven baskets, home décor, jewellery and fashion that are high-quality and produced in Africa. At Project Upendo, we vet each of these brands to make sure we can support as many small businesses and entrepreneurs as possible. Fairtrade is the cornerstone of our business, which is why we ensure our suppliers are paid fairly and have suitable working conditions.
When you shop at Project Upendo, you’re shopping at a marketplace with a difference. Not only are you supporting these African entrepreneurs, but you’re also allowing us to continue our work to empower these communities. As part of our “Ubuntu” mission, we give back to our entrepreneurs through our charity work. We hold workshops at the weekend to help young people in the community learn how to weave to help them become independent with a practical trade.
Our work includes teaching in these communities to improve their numeracy and literary skills, along with creative skills. These are often things we take for granted, but they make a real difference to these African communities. When you help to educate one parent, you’re helping to educate the next generation as well.
We donate a percentage of our earnings to charities who offer practical support for weavers and their families if they experience financial difficulties. These charities help provide support with food supplies, healthcare provisions, and financial support for school fees and home repairs. We also work with local artisans who product clothing, jewellery, art, and textiles.
Along with our partners, we assist approximately 500 weavers and their families. Your support of Project Upendo means that we can continue to help a growing number of community members and families. We also accept donations to allow us to continue this essential work.
When you support a unique marketplace like ours, you are doing more than just adding to the profit margin of a multinational corporation. You make a real difference to someone else’s life. We invite you to support our endeavours and donate to help us continue the work that we do to help our community of African entrepreneurs and their families. You can follow our journey on our website so you can see the difference that your support makes.
