Hadithi Crafts is a women led group that concerns itself in closing the gender labour gap in rural Kenya by providing income opportunities for women through traditional basket weaving and beadwork using eco-friendly resources that help conserve their environment.
Problems and Purpose
According to Kimani and Kombo (2009), the marginalization and exclusion of women has caused a major setback to the poverty reduction policies aimed to address poverty in Africa accordingly. In the Kenyan social context, Kenyan women face an economic disparity as opposed to their male counterparts in which property ownership and equal employment opportunities are scarce amongst women (Kariuki, 2013). This gap is even more prevalent with women who live in rural areas (Vuluku et al., 2013), and a reason why this initiative made it their mission to create a unique opportunity for women in rural communities to be able to make a living for themselves and their families.
Established in 2014, Hadithi Crafts is a business that serves to provide sustainable income opportunities for artisan women through the use of their skills in producing traditional and environmentally friendly handicrafts (Hadithi, 2025). Located in the Tsavo region of Kenya, Hadithi Crafts works with rural communities in earning their income and sustaining their families through the sale of their handicrafts such as basketweaving and beaded bracelets. Their mission also includes environment and wildlife conservation by the usage of natural resources to produce the handicrafts.
Background History and Context
Gender disparities in employment opportunities is an issue in Kenya and is more so prevalent amongst women as they face unemployment, under-employment and poverty (Sang, 2020). Several reasons for this gap are that job creation and poverty reduction policies within the governmental sector are slow and as well as the social or cultural barriers inhibiting female participation in the labour force (Sang, 2020). This is more common in rural regions such as ones in the Tsavo region, known to be one of the most economically marginalised counties in Kenya (Hadithi Crafts, 2025). Hadithi Crafts works with female artisans from rural communities in this region by creating a space for them to secure a sustainable income through traditional handicrafts, generating greater economic independence for the women and market capital for this business.
In addition, Hadithi Crafts operates in the wildlife-rich region between Tsavo East and West National parks, where community livelihoods are deeply intertwined with their environment. Human-wildlife conflicts are a common occurrence in this region due to animals raiding farmer’s crops for sustenance. Elephants happen to be the ones that cause the most disruption because of their sheer size and strength (Hadithi Crafts, 2025). Due to climate change causing less rains and more droughts, farmers then are very protective of their land and crops which often results in the harming of an already endangered species such as the Elephants. Hadithi Crafts helps mitigate this issue by offering an alternative financial gain through the production of handicrafts using eco-friendly resources and having people be less dependent on farming alone especially in the current climate. Therefore, promoting a harmonious coexistence with both humans and wildlife.
Organizing, Supporting, and Funding Entities
Funders:
Because Hadithi Crafts provides alternative income sources that are eco-friendly, they receive most of their grants from Wildlife Works; an organization that dedicates their work in conserving ecosystems from environmental degradation due to deforestation of the land and human-wildlife conflicts (Wildlife Works, 2023). This human-wildlife conflict is characterized by the disruption of the symbiosis between humans and wild animals due to human population growth and climate changes leading to limited resources and thus competition for survival (Mukeka et al., 2020). Wildlife Works partners with local communities’ efforts in mitigating climate changes, human-wildlife conflict and deforestation pressures by implementing REDD+ (stands for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation). Established by the United Nations, this is a program that financially compensates local communities around the world for their efforts in preserving their forests’ biodiversity. In using this approach, Wildlife Works delivered their first REDD+ program in the Kasigau corridor located between Tsavo East and East National Parks of Kenya, an area in which cattle overgrazing, poaching, charcoal harvesting/burning is a prevalent problem (Wildlife Works, 2023). In their collaboration with Hadithi Crafts, Wildlife Works made up 44% of USD of the cash grants that supported the business in facilitating activities such as employing key team members, financing supplies for their handicrafts, building water reservoirs, improving schools and planting trees (Hadithi Crafts, 2025). In their earlier years, this organisation oversaw Hadithi’s work and place in the market, overtime Hadithi became self-sufficient enough to sustain their own business.
Another funder is Solid Crafts, which is an NGO based in Belgium that empowers underprivileged youth, women and families through training and providing fair jobs to them (Solid Crafts, 2026). Hadithi Crafts received grants and yearly donations from them that helped establish a shared meeting space for five Kisimenyi groups to discuss their expenditures such as purchasing chairs, crafts materials, meals for meetings, maintaining group facilities, or collectively contributing to table banking initiatives. Other supports such as NEST, Byhand Consulting and Powered by People aided in giving webinars on how to manage businesses and ways to increase market value.
Organizers:
Hadithi interacts with their artisans through their community liaison officers, who act as the representatives of Hadithi Crafts. They play a key role in providing guidance and support to the groups by visiting them regularly, help refine the group’s leadership roles, offer advice on important matters and dissolve internal conflicts by being a neutral mediator between parties. Currently, there are four full-time community liaison officers that have maintained around 500 direct contacts with groups each year.
Participant Recruitment and Selection
Hadithi Crafts is only open to women who are within a formally registered women groups in Kenya, meaning they have to be registered with the Department of Social Services in order to be working legally with Hadithi Crafts. This registration essentially allows groups to open bank accounts, access training and funding, and engage independently with government or NGO programs. Hadithi maintains a regularly updated member register that is reviewed quarterly with group leaders in cases of members joining, leaving or transferring groups. There are currently 65 artisan groups involved with Hadithi Crafts.
Methods and Tools Used
Artisan women' s participation in the Hadithi groups and their key activities is divided into four core categories:
Activity 1: Skill development trainings for artisans
Delivering training on crafting skills: This involves seasoned artisans training others in the art of basketry and beading, teaching what plants to use, how to pattern, which dyes to utilize, etc. Each handicrafts work is allocated to an artisan’s speciality; some specialize in practical or fine weaving of sisal baskets and others with beadwork such as the Maasai Beading.
- Sisal Baskets: Kyondo (Cinodo in plural) refers to hand woven baskets made primarily in central and eastern Kenya and is a predominant cultural craft amongst Kenyans (Wanduara, 2018). It is sourced from natural materials found within local region’s plant fibers such as the sisal, which is characterized by its hardy structure and great sustainable value as it is biodegradable and leaves no waste (Kahigi et al., 2025). Sisal baskets make up the majority of Hadithi Crafts’ collections, providing artisans with a steady source of income through the use of their skills in weaving quality made baskets.
- Maasai Beading: the Maasai are a pastoralist community that rely on herding livestock for income but due to climate changes, frequent droughts have yielded less grazing for their herds (Majanga, 2021). With the livestock trade declining, this has shifted work responsibilities onto the women who were traditionally not required to work except for house work and child rearing. Hadithi Crafts has helped Maasai women to market their beadwork and make it their source of income. They have produced intricate bracelets, necklaces, pendants, belts and more.
Delivering training on personal skills: This involved collaborating with different initiatives to deliver training in specific topics. One such initiative was a separate basketry group called Zawadisha whom they collaborated with to teach finance/debt management and table banking practices. Another is the Kujuwa Initiative, a women’s health organisation, who helped in building knowledge on sexual reproductive health such as menstruations, STIs, cancer and other issues such as gender based violence.
Activity 2: Purchasing crafts and wholesale management
Hadithi helps source raw materials for the artisans to use and acts as an intermediary between them and the market by selling their products. In order to make the plant fiber for weaving (called sisal) readily available and for artisans to not have to travel far distances to access these resources, Hadithi set up designated shops called ‘Satellite Shops’ in nine villages, ensuring continuous stock of the plant.
Activity 3: Capacity building of Women’s groups
Hadithi Crafts’ way of building a strong group structure is done by supporting the women groups to internally govern amongst themselves, manage orders and come up with new projects. Collective agency where groups’ ability to work together towards a shared goal is encouraged. Individuals within each group share their skills, allocation of cash and resources and decision making power in a way that benefits everyone involved in the groups. This brings about social empowerment amongst the women and ensures an equal dynamic amongst themselves.
Activity 4: Implementation and Monitoring of Ethical Standards
The NEST Ethical Handcraft Standard is a globally recognized framework that aims to ensure ethical practices and fair treatment throughout the artisan economy. It sets rigorous guidelines for social protection of all workers to avoid labor exploitation, fair wages, safe working conditions and the prohibition of child labor. Other guidelines include gender equity, non discrimination, and good foundations in ethical sourcing and sustainable development. This would mean a seal would be placed on the products to signify the products were ethically sourced to the general market. Aside from their baskets and sewn animal collections, Hadithi Crafts’ beadwork collection has been successfully certified under NEST meaning that all beaded jewellery produced by artisans have met the guidelines listed above.
What Went On: Process, Interaction, and Participation
Each activity yielded an output/result that benefited both Hadithi Crafts and the artisan members:
Outputs of Activity 1: Skill development trainings for artisans
These craft and personal skill training has empowered women to be confident in themselves and use their skills in being able to sustain themselves and their families. Many artisans have reported crafts training to be one of the most valued support activities of Hadithi Crafts. Others have reported personal skills training to have provided them more knowledge of their reproductive health like the different stages of their menstrual cycle, conception for those who want children, cancer and gender based violence. These trainings have equipped individuals with resources that will aid them in leading a fulfilling life in their economic and social spheres.
Outputs of Activity 2: Purchasing crafts and wholesale management
Hadithi Crafts asked 900 artisans about their living conditions using the Poverty Probability Index (PPI), a form of questionnaire that assesses the likelihood an individual lives in poverty. By asking simple questions such as ‘how often a household purchases or consumes meat or fish products’ or ‘what kind of fuel do they use to cook on’ and more, Hadithi was able to conclude that 49% of their artisans are at risk of living below the poverty line.
Since their inception in 2014, Hadithi has averaged in selling 200,000 pieces and made a total of 1,180,734 USD, paid in cash to Hadithi artisans. These numbers are significant as the PPI score has shown that in every year an artisan group is part of Hadithi Crafts, they are 1.9% less likely to be living in poverty. This means the selling of handicrafts has successfully provided artisans a vital source of income where their living situation is steadily improving.
Outputs of Activity 3: Capacity building of Women’s groups
Collective agency where groups’ ability to work together towards a shared goal is heavily encouraged in Hadithi Crafts and is promoted in several ways:
- By strengthening group structures: women groups’ are trained on governance, leadership and decision-making in order to organize effectively, resolve conflict and accomplish shared goals. The cohesiveness of this structure is also maintained by the community liaison officers. Whenever resources are allocated to them for their projects, the artisans decide on how to best use those resources.
- By providing resources for collaboration: the shared meeting place established for the Kisimenyi group illustrated how providing an ideal environment to facilitate communication can lead to better coordinated efforts and achievements in projects.
- By encouraging advocacy: workshops on ethical working conditions, discrimination and harassments were held in order to inform women of their worker’s rights. These training sessions are done to strengthen women’s roles as leaders and entrepreneurs and to equip them with the tools to challenge any unfair treatment they might face in their line of work.
- By creating economic opportunities: in being their representative in the market, Hadithi has made achieving financial stability a possibility for many artisan women. This possibility inspires non-members to join Hadithi to have a livable income and gain group solidarity and community along the way.
Outputs of Activity 4: Implementation and Monitoring of Ethical Standards
Despite Hadithi Crafts not being founded as a gender equality initiative, their work has had a substantial impact on women in rural communities tackling gender norms. A clear example of this impact is the financial empowerment women gained by being able to earn income in their own name (the first time for many), contribute to household decisions, and plan independently for their futures. In making space for this development to come to be, it legitimizes the ethics of Hadithi Crafts as an ethical business that is built on transparency and delivering their bargain of giving women a living wage that makes a difference in their lives.
Influence, Outcomes, and Effects
The influence Hadithi Crafts had on their own business can be seen through their sales revenue and profit; the business has experienced increased sales between 2014-2024 with data showing a value of 175 million KES being generated. Despite having massive sales, they have experienced a decline in sales after COVID restrictions eased, characterized by increased market competitions in basketry trade, consumer shift to online shopping creating a challenge for a business that primarily operates from in person shops and more. However, Hadithi has mitigated these issues by increasing the prices for their crafts so as to keep up with economic fluctuations and market trends, and ensure the business continues to compensate the artisan women' s work in handicrafts fairly.
Additionally, Hadithi Crafts has contributed to climate action and environmental conservation through the use of sustainable materials in producing handicrafts and had communities reduce their reliance on poaching wildlife and cutting down trees for charcoal harvesting as a source of income. There was a setback in this environmental initiative due to the synthetic dyes used to colour the handicrafts being considered a health and environmental risk due to dye practices being done in uncontrolled kitchen environments, using copious amounts of water (which is an already precious resource in these rural communities) and improper waste disposal. As a solution, the Hadithi Dye Centre was set up in Hadith’s headquarters in Maungu, creating a facility where sisal dyeing is done so in a controlled environment that both conserves water and local ecosystems. The dyed sisal is then delivered to the satellite shops in the villages where artisans can continue making their handicrafts without risking their health and safety and make a living for themselves .
References
Hadithi Crafts. (2025). Our Journey of Change: A Decade with Hadithi Crafts. https://www.hadithikenya.com/impactreport
Kimani, E. N., & Kombo, D. K. (2010). Gender and poverty reduction: A Kenyan context. Educational research and Reviews, 5(1), 24-30.
Kariuki, J. G. (2013). Feminization of poverty in Kenya: The case of Abagusii and Agikuyu women of Kenya. International Journal of Social Sciences and Entrepreneurship, 1 (5), 372-383.
Kahigi, N. S., Mkunda, J. J., Mwema, M. F., & Machunda, R. (2025). Unraveling the potential of sisal fiber in sustainable innovation: A bibliometric perspective. Sustainable Environment, 11(1).
Mukeka, J. M., Ogutu, J. O., Kanga, E., & Røskaft, E. (2020). Spatial and temporal dynamics of human–wildlife conflicts in the Kenya Greater Tsavo Ecosystem. Human-Wildlife Interactions, 14(2), 255–272.
Majanga, J. (2021). Kenya changing gender roles. Voice of America. https://www.voanews.com/a/kenya-changing-gender-roles/6366764.html
Sang, N. (2020). Determinants Of Women Participation In The Labour Market In Kenya: A Case Of Informal Sector In Gikomba Market, Nairobi County. International Journal of Recent Research in Commerce Economics and Management, 147-152.
Solid Crafts. (2026). https://www.solidinternational.be/
Vuluku, G., Wambugu, A., & Moyi, E. (2013). Unemployment and underemployment in Kenya: A gender gap analysis. Economics, 2(2), 7-16.
Wanduara, M. V. (2018). Looking at the Past and Current Status of Kenya’s clothing and textiles. Textile Society of America Symposium Proceedings. 1118.
Wildlife Works. (2023). https://www.wildlifeworks.com/about
External Links
https://www.hadithikenya.com/
https://www.hadithikenya.com/impactreport
