Indego Africa
Design-led aesthetics and and sustainable social enterprise combine to form Indego Africa; an inspirational US- and Rwandan-based organisation working to affect lasting positive change in the lives of those it works with. Offering interior and personal decor and accessories Indego Africa is helping to bring to market beautiful traditionally inspired handicrafts given a contemporary edge. Focusing on women-owned businesses in Rwanda, Indego Africa has partnered with nine cooperatives in a combined total of over four hundred women artisans, skilled in disciplines such as basketry, knitting, sewing and beading; producing stylish seasonal collections of brightly coloured baskets, intricately woven bowls, cushions, clothing, jewellery and bags. The Copabu Bowls in particular are a favourite, the way they ingeniously combine a simple wooden bowl with a stylish band of weaving around the top edge; and it is nice to finally know to whom I can attribute the, 'Pinterest favourite', pink swirl basket to, having seen it pop up so many times on my visits! Indego Africa's products are delivered with a tag bearing the signature of the artisan who created it.

Founded in 2007, the organisation provides access to markets, education and training programmes; hiring Rwandan university graduates from disadvantaged backgrounds to administer the programmes, which are funded from the combination of sales profits and donations. Indego Africa is actively redefining the model for economic development in the handicraft sector; believing in the filtering effect that investing in women has in helping communities grow as the skills and knowledge learnt are passed on; and has seen the organisation work with the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Initiative, whereby Indego Africa's top artisan partner students are given the opportunity to participate in a six-month intensive MBA programme. 

Other initiatives include linking the cooperatives and artisans with leading designers and businesses such as Anthropologie, J.Crew, Nicole Miller and Madewell. Indego Africa's products are retailed at over eighty stores across the US and Europe, in addition to the organisation's own online store.   

Ngerende Island Lodge
Offering guests luxury in the Kenyan wilderness, Ngerende Island Lodge is a five-star luxury lodge situated on the Olchoro - Oirogua Conservation Ranch, bordering the northern part of Kenya’s famed Masai Mara game reserve. Located close to the Mara River, the Lodge is surrounded by water on all sides, bar a tiny passage that prevents it from completely becoming an island in the true sense of the word, but this does not take away from the feeling of indulgent isolation and wonder at being away from it all, in a place that is a four-hour drive from Nairobi. The Lodge, however, has its own airstrip offering scheduled flights should visitors prefer a quicker alternative by flying from one of Kenya’s main airports.

Furnished with contemporary African design throughout, Ngerende Island Lodge caters for a maximum of fourteen guests, and is made up of just seven suites, each built on raised platforms to allow for panoramic views, and a main building housing areas such as the bar and dining room. Balancing the need for modern comforts whilst keeping in mind the need for conservation of the local area, the suites were constructed with canvas and local materials such as the use of gleaming Mahogany wood, which is used on the floors, terraces, and other supporting structures. The Lodge also offers a therapeutic spa, which helps enhance the tranquillity that surrounds the Masai Mara; and gourmet dining, with meals created from fresh local produce.

As to be expected the location of the Lodge provides optimum game viewing from the private terraces of the individual suites, the veranda of the main Lodge, an infinity pool overlooking one of the largest hippo pods in the area or through arranged game drives and walks. However, for guests who want to get even closer to the wildlife, Ngerende Island Lodge offers Ngerende in the Wild; a temporary luxury camp comprising two tents with views of the river and two suites with views of the lake in which, at an extra cost, guests can arrange to stay for a night or two complementing their stay at the main Lodge. The Lodge has earned an international reputation for being perfect for honeymooners, and extends their guest services to arranging weddings for couples looking to tie the knot in a magical place. For added privacy the honeymoon suite is situated away from the main lodge and comes with its own Jacuzzi and plunge pool. 

Whether staying as a family, a couple or looking to host a small conference the team and staff at Ngerende Island Lodge pride themselves on attention to detail in catering to the individual needs of their guests.

Additional details:
Rates are dependent on the season and currently start from around: USD$600 per person per night.
For further information about Ngerende Island Lodge and for bookings visit: www.ngerende.com 

Obakki
In a beautifully shot campaign featuring South Sudanese model Ajak Deng, the rare culture and pastoral society of South Sudan is portrayed through a sophisticated clothing collection by Obakki; a not-for-profit humanitarian organisation headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Drilling water wells in South Sudan provided the inspiration for Obakki’s Fall/Winter 2012 collection, which uses colour, pattern and texture in the clothes and fabrics as a timeline to telling the country’s dramatic journey to independence. The story begins with the tension and unrest, seen in flashes of bold crimson and dark shadows, running through clashing, fractured patterns; then moving on to the possibility and hope of a new nation, the uncertainty experienced is depicted in a softer muted palette and blurred lines that are starkly contrasted with bolder black and white hues; and finally as a new nation emerges, joy and harmony is experienced as a hopeful people return to their homes, and so the collection is once again transformed, taking on brighter jewel-toned, celebratory colours. There is a sense of vulnerability and delicateness about the collection, which echoes the fragility of independence and the start of something new. The design immediately below is inspired by the Dinka Corset, an intricately beaded symbolic garment created by the Dinka tribe and traditionally worn by unmarried men and women. For further information about the Dinka Corset I covered it in more detail in a previous feature, which can be read here.

Using fashion as a fundraising vehicle, Obakki looks to inspire and engage the modern consumer in addressing the pressing issues that affect the world, and by shopping Obakki’s collections customers are supporting the company’s water and humanitarian efforts in South Sudan and beyond. Obakki gives 100% of its net profits and all public donations to projects the company operates in areas of greatest need around the world. To ensure the money goes to where it is needed Obakki has total control of their projects from planning, fundraising, execution and management in the field. Focusing on the provision of basic needs, water food, education Obakki is committed to sustainability that helps communities grow, was founded in 2005 by self-taught fashion designer and philanthropist Treana Peake, who later set-up the Obakki foundation in 2009. Since then the Obakki Foundation has worked to build fifteen schools in Cameroon, provides ongoing support to three orphanages and built over than 300 wells in South Sudan. Partnering with local communities the Obakki Foundation has a dedicated team of four on the ground carrying out the development work, and Treana visits the various projects around five times a year.

...designed for change

DO.II Designs
Creating customised high-end innovative, yet timeless interior design solutions, Ifeyinwa Ighodalo is a Nigerian interior design industry and furniture manufacturing professional with over twenty-five years in the business. Believing ‘that a home should elicit excitement, joy and pleasure as you come home to it and live in it’ Ifeyinwa founded the company DO.II Designs, with aim of bringing her creative expertise to a range of discerning clients within the country. DO.II Designs works in four key areas encompassing interior design, furniture manufacturing, space planning and remodelling.

DO.II Designs has become one of Nigeria’s leading interior specialists undertaking projects for the corporate, hospitality, property development and luxury residential sectors; as well as having a showroom based in Victoria Island, Lagos, where clients can come and choose furniture and fittings for their homes. It was on the company’s website portfolio that I came across the elegantly appointed property, Orange Place. 

Benefiting from high ceilings and large windows to let in optimum light, Ifeyinwa and her team worked to design a space tailored to suit the Client’s lifestyle and requirements. Thoughtfully considering how the interior spaces connect and flow into each other, design solutions included strategically placed lighting to help enhance the areas that benefit from natural light; seamlessly connecting the living spaces through the application of continuous flooring treatments; and using complementary furniture and decorative elements to bring warmth and a touch of personality to individual rooms. The design solutions extended to the surrounded gardens to ensure harmony between the spaces as well as consideration for the community in which the build is located.

Hillary Thomas
Give your lamps and light fittings a touch of contemporary African design with a range of colourful lamp finials from US-based interior design company, Hillary Thomas. I must admit it took me a while to figure out how a lamp finial works; more common in older style lamps and light fittings, finials are the metal bit that attach the shade to the light socket element, and for a personalised touch can have decorative elements added to the top part, which when placed in the lamp peek out of the top of the shade; an addition that Hillary Thomas refers to as 'jewellery for your lamps'. Hillary Thomas Designs have created a range of decorative lamp finials featuring vibrant gemstones and intricately cut designs. Amongst the collections available is the striking Zulu Love Train collection, which features vibrant discs, at only 3 inches high and 2.25 inches wide, each individually hand woven from telephone wire by a group of Zulu weavers in South Africa. These finials would make an interesting wall feature if added to a line of wall lamp fittings minus the shade, and a touch bigger in size.

... a quick and stylish way to add a touch of character to your interior décor

Lupane Women’s Centre
Looking like they have been swirled with delicate watercolours, this gorgeous range of traditionally handcrafted baskets is the result of a partnership between the Lupane Women’s Centre in Zimbabwe and the Kingston University Design School in the UK, bringing a contemporary edge to traditional African design. The initiative entitled, Kingston Project Africa was created to facilitate the exchange and support of knowledge between both regions, and led by Professor Catherine McDermott utilises the expertise of academics, industry practitioners and curators across various projects and collaborations. This particular project saw the head of the design school, Simon Maidment sharing his expertise, running a series of workshops in Zimbabwe over a period of two-weeks. The partnership saw the exploration of ways to make, transport and market the baskets, which are mainly sold to tourists visiting the country, but have also made their way into international retailers stores such as the Conran shop and Anthropologie. In recognition of the skill and creativity in production the baskets have been exhibited at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, as well as the London Design Festival and Design Indaba in Cape Town. Drawn from the disciplines of graphic to product design; students from the business and design schools of the University were also involved in the project, challenged to come up with effective solutions to help solve the problems faced by the women in producing and marketing the products. The ideas generated by the students were presented to the women producing the baskets during the workshops.  

Located in Matabeleland a region lying two-hours outside Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second city, the Lupane Women’s Centre is a not-for-profit rural-based membership organisation that was founded in 1997 ‘for women by women’ in a bid to help members generate sustainable incomes through the provision of a range of skills, business and leadership training and support. The Lupane Women’s Centre currently has a 3200 strong membership, of which 2667 are women; the Centre also assists those who are marginalised, regardless of gender. In addition to basketry members are also involved in programmes including, gardening, candle and soap making, and bee keeping. A restaurant and conference facility for public hire helps generate an income to keep the Centre running. As a boost to the Centre the success of this project has meant continued funding from the British Council.  

Planet Botanicals
As the seasons change from cold to warm, colds and flu become all too common and unfortunately for me I have been bedridden, trying to shake of a particularly nasty cold, and generally feeling sorry for myself! As one to shun medication for as long as I possibly can, I tend to prefer natural goodness and remedies in essential oils and soothing herbal teas to get me well, as well as aiding overall day-to-day wellbeing, so it always good to get to know new products. I recently came across Planet Botanicals, a US-based natural skincare company whose luxurious products, comprising body scrubs, washes, butters and oils; in addition to a dedicated facial skincare range, are formulated to provide healing and nourishment to the skin, as well as promoting wellbeing to mind, body and soul.  

Working in accordance to the principles of fairtrade and environmental sustainability guidelines rare, natural and organic indigenous plant oils and flower extracts are sourced direct from local organic producers, cooperatives, and artisan essential oil distillers across the African continent, and other parts of the world; seeing ingredients like organic shea butter from Uganda, virgin coconut butter and cocoa butter combined with Ethiopian arabica coffee beans, baobab fruit extracts, rooibos, marula, moringa, and the fruit from the Kigelia tree, also known as the Sausage tree, sourced from the Zambezi Valley, which is recognised in the skincare industry for its anti-ageing properties.

...natural skincare goodness

Scènes de lin
The beauty of traditional Moroccan artisanal skills is combined with French style to create a range of contemporary North African inspired linens, soft furnishings, and interior accessories, under the brand Scènes de lin. Based in Marrakech, Scènes de lin was created by designer, and textile industry veteran Anne-Marie Chaoui, who in 2000 opened the doors to a beautifully appointed showroom in the district of Gueliz. Anne-Marie had relocated to Marrakech, inspired by the city and artisanal crafts of the city, and set up a local workshop working with highly skilled Moroccan artisans and craftsmen, in addition to employing the talents and traditional skills of home-based weavers and embroiderers, all working together to produce the Brand’s signature style of linens and interior products. Using high-quality materials, including linen, satin, flax and taffeta, Scènes de lin’s product ranges feature exquisitely embroidered linens in beautiful colours that not only go into creating sophisticated soft furnishings, but are also used to upholster furniture pieces giving them a new lease of life. 

The Brand has built up a reputation in Morocco for quality, craftsmanship, attention to detail and the chic sophisticated style of the products produced, resulting in many of the country’s hotels and riads turning to Scènes de lin for exclusively designed furnishings, as well as interior design services. Scènes de lin is a family affair; in 2012 Anne-Marie’s eldest son, Karim Chaoui, and his wife opened a Scènes de lin showroom in Paris; and are also seeking to expand the brand into Asia.

The Sankofa Center
The Sankofa Center is a not-for-profit arts-based organisation in Ghana that uses traditional African dance and music to promote an understanding of HIV/AIDS within the communities in which it works with. To help support the Center’s programmes and services, a boutique was established that utilises the skills of a cooperative specifically set up the Center to produce a range of products including; clothing, personal and household accessories; the proceeds of which are invested back into the organisation. It was through one of their current stockists, VivaTerra, that I came across the Sankofa Center’s range of duvet sets and shower curtain products, created from a patchwork of brightly coloured wax cloth prints that, in the case of the shower curtain, is bound to make you instantly alert as you begin the day. The shower curtain is lined with recycled drinking water pouches, collected from the area, which are then cleaned and stitched together to form a waterproof lining. Made from 100% Cotton, the duvet set comes with a duvet and two pillow shams.

The Sankofa Center was founded in 2002, by Ronnie Shaw an American dancer and academic who was studying at the University of Ghana at the time, and later went on to establish a sister charity that is based in California. Dance-dramas and after school dance programmes help to deliver the message, in addition to a programme of classroom-based seminars. The Sankofa Center also provides rapid HIV/AIDS testing, counselling, access to free treatment and medication; and support for those living with HIV/AIDS. Depicted by a bird with its head facing backwards, the Sankofa is an ancient Adinkra symbol* meaning 'go back and get it'; referring to the importance of learning from the past as a way of bettering and correcting any mistakes that may affect the future; and it is this symbol and meaning that gives the Sankofa Center its name and philosophy. (*a visual communication system originating from the Asante of Ghana).

Taunina
Displayed on one of the prettiest websites I have seen in a while, is an adorable, colourful range of soft toys that have been exquisitely handcrafted by a group of talented artists in Woodstock, Cape Town. Taunina is a company that produces an enchanting collection of one-of-a-kind collectable teddy bears, bunny rabbits and puppy dogs; each a precious gift designed to be passed down the generations as future heirlooms. Individually crafted, comprising of more than twenty panels, each soft toy takes around four to seven days to complete, in a process that involves hand cutting and stitching together the fabrics, before the intricate appliqué and embroidery is applied to create dainty images such as butterflies, birds and flowers. The fabrics used are selected for the vintage feel they give to the toys, and include iconic Liberty prints, as well as 100% natural fibres with no harmful dyes or colours. The initials of the artists are incorporated into each creation. The toys are delivered in custom-made hatboxes and come with their own passport, a certificate of authenticity that details information about the artist who created it and their wish for the world, the seamstress, the date the toy was created, the toy’s name given by its creator, and unique identification and registration codes. 

Taunina is more than just toys; a social enterprise that seeks to bring together art, commerce and greater social awareness for the benefit of the communities it works with. Co-founded in 2011 by Tracey Chiappini-Young, Taunina is an anagram comprising the word ‘Tau’, which means lion, and ‘NINA an acronym that stands for ‘No Income, No Assets’, and conveys the philosophy of giving the artists who work at the company, mainly women from disadvantaged communities, an opportunity to earn an income and provide for their families, enabling them to become ‘lions of their own destinies’. Employees at Taunina are paid above market salaries, following a structure that sees 30% of the business’ profits before tax going to the artists; 20% going to a fund, entitled the Bear Essentials Fund that was set up to pay for needs such as education, housing and healthcare; and 10% going towards productivity-related bonuses.

Globetrotters; the toys have appeared at Barneys, New york, and have now made their way to the iconic department store Selfridges, in London, Birmingham and Manchester, where they have taken centre stage in the store’s legendary displays, just in time for Easter; after which they will still be available to purchase in store. Following the success of the soft toys, a home décor line will be launching in April 2013.