BASECAMP MAASAI BRAND AT BIZARRE BAZAAR NOVEMBER 2009
Come visit us at this years annual Christmas Bazaar in Nairobi. 20th-22nd November at Jim Faulkner’s extensive plot on Koitobos Road near Hardy dukas and Giraffe Centre.
This year two of our artisans will join us in Nairobi as well as our colleagues Nancy and Fidelis. So come and meet the people behind the making of our jewellery, have a chat and pick up christmas gifts that are guaranteed to be fair and ethical. We will also have more information material on the spot about Basecamp Foundation and the Basecamp destinations.
The Biz Baz is a vibrant marketplace full of cool stalls with Kenyan shopping. So dont miss it!
Looking forward to see you there!
/Anna
ARTICLE IN NEW AFRICAN WOMAN second issue (Aug 2009)
We are happy to see that media keeps writing about us. Most recently the project was featured in "New African Woman", a new international lifestyle magazine for African women world wide.
REBRANDING
As you may have noticed we have changed our name slighty...TMB has now become BMB - Basecamp Maasai Brand.
The new name; Basecamp Maasai Brand, is aiming to link the project and the business/foundation closer together in all our communication and marketing and is part of Basecamp’s efforts of streamlining our brand and image. So don’t be too surprised when you hear us refer to the project as BMB – Basecamp Maasai Brand.
We are still the same women working hard to create a sustainable future for our families!
NEW PROJECT OFFICER
Fidelis Samato is our new Project Officer.
Fidelis started to work with us on 1st of July and is now in training to take over the practical management of the project after me. The recruitment of Fidelis is part of our project transformation efforts. Fidelis has formal training in tourism and has five years experience working in the industry in various capacities. Fidelis has also been involved with community projects in HIV/AIDS. We are heartily welcoming Fidelis to the Basecamp family and looking forward to work with her.
DANISH DESIGN COLLABORATION
In June we had a four day workshop with Jewellery designer Carolina Vallejo from Denmark. This exciting collaboration is aiming to result in a exhibition displayed The Museum of Art and Design in Copenhagen.
For now we dont want to reveal what exactly this exhibition will have as a theme...but let's just say that its Maasai beadwork in a whole new cultural context.
In the photo: Naisiaku Liram, Noretat Sayelel, Norkurupy Nadala, Carolina Vallejo, Naramat Naurori, Faith Rakwa and Arami Kool.
FAIR TRADE and COFTA MEMBERSHIP
The Maasai Brand is since 1st of June 2009 a member of COFTA- Cooperation for Fair Trade in Africa. This means we have proved that the project is working with international Fair Trade standards and that we are on the way to become WFTO certified.
COFTA is the African network under WFTO- World Fair Trade Organization. To become WFTO registered the first step is to get approval by COFTA, if the application is approved by the board you become probationary member, until the organization has effectively gone through and completed the monitoring process that includes: Self Assessment, Peer Review and External Verification. This process may take up to 2 years. We still have a long way to go before we can use the WFTO logo, but this was the first major step and we are intending on working hard to live up to the standards and become officially Fair Trade!
To read more about COFTA and WFTO please go to www.cofta.org and www.wfto.com
From COFTA's website www.cofta.org:
"On completion of the Monitoring Process, organizations receive authority to us the Fair Trade Organisation (FTO) Mark. All members are obliged to go through the monitoring process every 2-3 years.
The process may seem long, however it has been designed as a guarantee to Fair Trade consumers that we are indeed a network of Fair Trade producers working to make a difference and contributing towards poverty alleviation and development. It also assists us to protect our reputation and as such protect our markets. For organizations looking to join COFTA, IFAT, or become Fair Trade Organization, this goal must be at the core of their businesses.
We, Fair Trade Organisations are united in our fight against poverty and for fairer World trading rules. We work together, determined to overcome the injustice that threatens the very future of our planet. We are taking this message and our FTO Mark around the world to tell everyone, everywhere, that we truly believe that Fair Trade can help alleviate poverty in Africa.
Be with us! Speak out for Trade Justice! Support Fair Trade! "
THE MAASAI BRAND AT FAFA
The Maasai Brand had jewellery displayed on a model for the coctail party that started off the annual FAFA Fashion For Peace event in Nairobi in May. We also doneted some pieces for the raffle.
KEFAT also held an exhibition at Goethe Institute with fairly produced lifestyle and fashion items and TMB was of course one of the project on display.
