From Rwanda with Joy: Behind the Scenes at Our Artisan Council

Last Friday had me grinning from ear to ear — truly one of the highlights of my year — and this time it felt even more brimming with excitement and warmth. It was our annual Artisan Council at Azizi Life, a special day when everyone (artisans, staff, and leadership) gathers to celebrate the previous year, dream big for the year ahead, and deepen our relationships with each other.

Each year, we invite representatives from every artisan group we work with to spend the day with us. This time around, 102 amazing voices from 49 different groups joined in (that represents over 740 individual artisans!), plus our Azizi Life staff from across Rwanda. Altogether, about 140 of us spent the day in idea-sharing, laughter, and, yes, plenty of spontaneous singing and dancing.

We kicked things off with worship and prayer, then went around the room introducing ourselves (name and group) and it was so heartwarming to see both familiar faces and new ones. Jeannine, our CEO, followed with a review of last year’s milestones—like that big order just about to ship! – and an update on our guesthouse construction. Over the course of the morning, we dove into presentations on sales and marketing plans, production processes (including pricing and tax considerations), safeguarding policies, and fair trade best practices – sharing both Azizi Life’s responsibilities and what we ask of our artisan partners.

Midday, we paused work to share a meal together. I believe there is something really special about eating together as a community – it nourishes more than just our bodies.  After lunch, we split into smaller groups to chat about any challenges encountered over the past year and brainstorm solutions and fresh ideas for the future. Each group’s feedback was rich with insight, and hearing artisans’ suggestions first-hand is invaluable as we shape our next steps.

We wrapped up the day with a final prayer, then (because why not?) broke out into more dancing to send everyone home smiling. What makes Artisan Council so unique isn’t just the planning or the presentations; it’s the relationships. On this day, from our CEO all the way to the cleaning team, everyone is fully present, ready to listen and share stories in a way the usual hustle of work doesn’t allow.

It’s hard to believe we first gathered like this back in 2012, with just a handful of artisan groups. Thirteen years later, seeing some of the very same representatives still with us fills my heart with joy – they truly are family. We simply wouldn’t be where we are today without their creativity, hard work, and partnership.

I am already looking forward to next year’s Artisan Council and also to many, many more years of friendship, collaboration, and fair trade impact with our artisan partners!

If you would like to support our work in Rwanda and our Artisan partners then please do any of the following: