ABOUT US
Mimi Africana Accessories was registered on June 19th 2016. We are a social enterprise that promotes fair trade by connecting female artisans with local and international markets. We focus on recruiting women from urban slums and rural areas, train them on artistry, weaving and business skills, and finally, help them find a market for these products.
We sell African Crafts that range from Jewelry, Kiondo, Masai Shuka with fleece, Kitenge bags; market bags, drawstring bags, toilet bags, crotchet dolls; African stuffed animals, beaded enamel cups, Masai sandals.
Our mission is to provide a wide range of African crafts to our customers, dedicating ourselves to high standards of customer service, developing strong work relationships and timely deliveries
CEO Brief
A committed change-maker and risk-taker, Ruth quit her job working in the hospitality industry and started working with communities in the informal settlements of High Ridge, a suburb West of Nairobi City. In 2015, she founded Mimi Africana Accessories Limited, an initiative born out of the need to link local female artisans with market opportunities locally and abroad. Two years on, her passion is starting to bear fruit. Through Mimi Africana Accessories Ltd, about fifty women now have regular access to markets locally and abroad. She collaborated with A Villagers Hand, a non-profit in the United States of America to accelerate the supply of African crafts to the global markets. Locally, these women now have access to local business centres like hotels, exhibition shows and themed events through her organization.
However, it was not always rosy! Ruth finally accomplished her long-held dream of going to University. She achieved this by working full-time as a cook, as she kept aside money for her University education. She finally graduated in 2008 with a degree in Business Management from the African Nazarene University.
Ruth’s commitment to the local cause has seen her expand her network and foster relationships with impact-related organizations. She is a member of the Federation of Women Entrepreneurs Association (FEWA), Afriwomen Connect Kenya. Most recently, her efforts saw her represent her industry at the UAE meets Kenya Trade and Investment Mission in Dubai.
By her own admission, Ruth is far from accomplishing her mission. She wants to use technology to extend the scale of her impact and serve humanity. Her next project is to set up an online marketplace to display what the women from the informal settlements of Nairobi can do with the right incentive. It is a mission that she hopes will not only serve her women but also display the diversity of Kenya’s cultural heritage through technology.