Welcome back to Nairobi! Today we’re working with the Foundation for Lesbian, Bisexual, and Queer Refugees (FLBQR), a group of women and children living in Nairobi who aim to sustain themselves and live collectively.
Some of the members of FLBQR went through a jewelry-making training, and although they had plenty of jewelry to sell, they were having trouble finding potential customers.
For a while, they had been selling at the Maasai Market in Nairobi, but other vendors found out they didn’t speak Swahili, they started questioning why they were there and what they were doing.
We saw that the Ibis Styles hotel in Nairobi had some local vendors, and asked whether these women might be able to sell their goods there.
To check it out, I sat down with Dhalie, the head of FLBQR, and Maryanne, from Ibis Styles. Maryanne told us more about the project, how each of the vendors are able to sell their goods Wednesday – Sunday, and how they pay monthly rent that includes lunch for the vendors.
Maryanne said Dhalie and her group would be very welcome, and we signed a contract then and there to get them set up for their first month!
Dhalie was so excited, that when she arrived home later, she texted me to say, “thank you so much. I am really so happy.” She and the others felt hopeful, and like they might be able to earn some good money selling at the market.
Meet Sam!
Sam developed an interest in forced displacement, food insecurity, and identity while working on her master’s degree. She’s now using this knowledge to support Changemakers 365 across our country programs. When she’s not off on a work trip, she’s busy fermenting beverages, training for half marathons, or listening to podcasts at her home in Minneapolis.
