Summer 2017 NEWSLET TER
TWO SCHOOLS THIS YEAR REMEMBERING ABIBA NEW WINGED BASKET
New primary school site in Sossossi, Togo, December 2013
A Narrative That Needs Rewriting
In the villages of Nadagou and Tamangue, structures of roughly-hewn wood beams, siding of corrugated tin and roofs of interwoven grasses are built, and then rebuilt. They are rained on and blown over, again and again, like an alternate version of "The Three Little Pigs". In this adaptation, however, the many straw houses are the result of a community coming together, collecting the materials and working as a team to provide primary schools and basic education for their community’s youth. According to the fables we’re brought up on as children, we’re taught that characters who embrace virtues such as selflessness, patience and commitment should live happily-ever-after, yet that is not the case for Nadagou and Tamangue. Their houses are being blown down, and tragically, the wolf, in the guise of poverty, is devouring a community’s children.
In this story, the figurative is quite literal. It is more than being unable to afford an education—the cost of uniforms, school supplies and annual fees—or the other manifold barriers that arise—teen pregnancy, transportation issues, the day-to-day challenges, etc. During the rainy season of 1996, the village of Nadagou lost several elementary students to drowning on their way to school. They were trying to cross a river, slipped, and were swept away. In what world do children die for an education, where reality reads as backwards cautionary tale? The wolf is poverty; it is a group of kindergarteners having class on the ground for lack of desks, children walking 15 km from Tamangue to attend school in Nano and 379 primary school students (between Nadagou and Tamangue) unable to learn every time the rains come and their schools collapse. It is a narrative that needs rewriting, and Alaffia is doing so through the construction of brick schools that will not blow over, donated school supplies and Bicycles for Education.
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It is clear to us that Africa will not rise out of poverty if educational opportunities are not provided for our brothers and sisters. Furthermore, one of Alaffia’s core beliefs is that it is our moral duty to give others a chance if we possess the ability to do so. Supporting education by building schools in our poorest communities in Togo is a way we can give many children a chance at once. These children are the future of Togo; they all deserve access to learning, regardless of their economic status. Therefore, on your behalf and with your continuing support of Alaffia, we are able to pledge the building of two schools this year. We thank you whole-heartedly for making it possible for us to continue supporting our communities in this manner. I was once like these children, yearning to go to school, and I know what difference it makes to be granted a chance in life.
—Olowo-n’djo Tchala, Founder & CEO
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Remembering Abiba One Year Later Her portrait hangs in the reception area of Alaffia, the woman Olowo-n’djo “so admired, loved and wished to serve.” She is the first thing one sees, resplendent in pagne (traditional fabric) around her waist and head (shea nutbrown with gold accents and embroidered elephants), and a loose-fitting, white top. Her hands rest lightly in front of her, fingers lined with the wear of raising eight children—from wrapping them around her back to collect firewood from the forest, hauling jerry cans of water atop her head and stirring large pots of pâte and fufu. Most striking, however, is her face—the expression in her eyes and brow angled just so, her mouth subtly upturned in something resembling a smile: a combination of warmth and reservation. It is affecting to bring to life the stories of who she was from her picture—a woman who fed a busload of boys whose vehicle had broken down on their way to Nigeria (dividing up the food she had made for herself and her eight children), who “gave her humble thanks to every woman” when she would visit the cooperatives, who said to Olowo-n’djo when he felt overwhelmed by the responsibilities of Alaffia, “Stand up, and you will see that you are not broken.” This May marked the one-year anniversary of Abiba Agbanga’s death. Alaffia would not be here today if it were not for the choices she made throughout her life to make her life her own, and the wisdom and sense of responsibility to humankind she imparted on Olowo-n’djo. In loving memory of Abiba Agbanga "Ina" 1947 - 2016
To read Olowo-n’djo’s letter in the wake of his mother’s death last year, visit: https://goo.gl/i1rCem
Our New Winged Basket Takes Flight It has been 13 years since our first basket styles were released. We began our Basket Weaving Program back in 2004 in Sokodé with the brightly-dyed, beautiful baskets that are now a staple of Alaffia’s offerings. We are pleased to announce that a new concept has finally arrived; we have wound our way, all in good time, to the Alaffia Winged Basket with raised siding. Whether walking to the lake for a relaxing picnic or peddling to your local farmers market, Alaffia’s handmade, handdyed Winged Basket is ready for your summer adventures. Contoured to cradle a bottle of wine and a beach towel or hold an extra bundle of carrots, its leather handles are comfortable and shape flexible enough to carry a variety of items. This new design is credited, in part, to the growth of our Bolgotanga cooperative in Ghana which has added an additional 2,950 weavers in the past two years. This expansion has allowed us to give our weavers more creative control in playing with the look of these traditional, handmade, hand-dyed baskets. To view the full collection, visit www.alaffia.com.
Alaffia Handwoven African Winged Basket
Alaffia pays fair wages, empowers mothers and families, and utilizes sustainable wildcrafted ingredients. Funds from product sales help conduct the following empowerment projects in Togo, West Africa: (AS OF 01/19/2017)
REFORESTATION 57,575 Trees Planted SCHOOL SUPPLIES 32,842 Student Recipients BICYCLES FOR EDUCATION 7,482 Bikes Distributed MATERNAL CARE 4,463 Births Funded SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION 10 Schools Built 360-866-0080 or visit us at alaffia.com
READY FOR YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE
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