Member of the Katalyze Cooperative - rooted in Kampala, Uganda and Benicia, CA. We thank you for all of your support! Apwoyo matek!
Wan Keken is a collective of artists and visionaries rooted in Jinja, Uganda who make beautiful handmade crafts - with proceeds going towards local income generating projects. Wan Keken means “Unity” in Luo, one of the languages of Acholiland - it represents the diverse bridges being built across tribes and cultures in our collective. The majority of the artisans are mothers and grandmothers who f
led the violence of the LRA war in Northern Uganda from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s. The women and families of Wan Keken have made the best of their displaced lives, creating community and starting small businesses in order to survive without their traditional farming practices. They dream of becoming entrepreneurs: expanding their artisan offerings, continuing to grow their businesses, breaking ground on farming plots in Jinja, investing in farming on their ancestral lands in northern Uganda and even for some, returning home. We aim to create more interdependent systems, where we can work cross-culturally to address the needs of our families and communities, as well as our planet. We stand united across our differences and cherish the common threads of trust, respect, and love that weave us and our vision together. As a part of the Kulamya Collective, we share their mission to break down barriers of oppression, both in Uganda and beyond. As artisans, farmers, community members, mothers, and activists, we are forging new pathways of social entrepreneurship founded in fair trade practices, consensus-based decision making, and transformative leadership. Through purchasing our products and donating to our campaign, you are making a huge difference in the lives of our collective members, as well as their families and communities.
