Arts and crafts are the centrepieces of our cultural heritage, and every community boasts unique craftsmanship. For years, this artistry has yielded impeccable fashion statements from shoes, apparel, jewellery, and bags that are coveted worldwide. Despite this brilliance and creativity, most people working on these crafts haven’t had great luck in earning a decent livelihood from these items. This gap between production and the market gave rise to Crafts with Meaning, a social enterprise based in Nairobi’s A.S.K Jamhuri Showground that’s empowering artisans from rural communities to improve their lives with their talents and raw materials available around them.
For Crafts with Meaning, sustainability, at best, should enable communities to meet their needs while fostering a harmonious relationship with their natural environment. This belief is the basis on which all their operations are founded. At the helm of this sustainability drive is Paul Hinga, the Sustainability and Marketing manager at the company. He is charged with bringing craftsmen and women from different communities in contact with Crafts with Meaning.
The Journey to Sustainability Management
Paul’s interest in sustainability dates to his university years as a Psychology student at Kenyatta University with a minor in Sociology, where this intersection of the disciplines he was studying gave him a holistic outlook on social relationships and how nature and humanity correlate.
However, it was once he joined the International Association of Students in Economics and Commercial Sciences (AIESEC) – a community of young people looking to create value-driven leaders and global citizens – that he learnt about the concept of sustainability in depth. He delved in detail into Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and from different exchange programmes facilitated by the organisation, he developed a keen interest in Climate Action in 2020. As a result, he sought conferences and mentorship, and enrolled in training programmes where he equipped himself with skills and knowledge to champion climate action and sustainability.
After three years of upskilling, Paul’s credibility as a professional knowledgeable in sustainable development saw him join Crafts with Meaning.
Work at Crafts with Meaning
At Crafts with Meaning, Paul manages the design process, working hand in hand with artisans from the foundational stage of acquiring raw materials to the completion. With kikoi, ankara, leather, canvas, sisal, and jute being the textiles used to design the different products, Paul ensures that the raw materials used are sourced prudently and are toxic-free. He also stipulates each product’s specific measures to ensure they meet international quality standards and can compete fairly in the market.
Internally, Paul ensures the process of adding value to the crafts before going to the market is also environmentally conscious. He takes account of emissions from the enterprise’s activity, materials used, and even the energy footprint. Additionally, he empowers his colleagues to adopt sustainable practices in their dealings as they aim to be Net Zero in a decade’s time.
Helping Other Companies Meet Sustainability Targets
Besides artisanal crafts, Paul and his team also source used materials from other companies for use in designing different products at Crafts with Meaning. This way, they are helping other manufacturers manage their waste. As of 2024, billboards have been their go-to material, and they’ve repurposed them into various products, including shopping bags and backpacks.
Impacting Lives
Before crafts go to market, Crafts with Meaning customises the products to bring out the cultural heritage entrenched in the designs and set them apart from other products in the market. They also attach to them stories and contact details of the talented artisans who made them, fully acknowledging them for their handiwork.
Beyond just connecting artisans to markets, Paul and his team look into ways to diversify sources of livelihood for artisans and improve the quality of their lives. He devises projects based on what is viable for the communities, then trains them to adopt farming, tree planting, water harvesting, and other activities that help them adapt better to their environment in the wake of climate change.
In his role as Sustainability and Marketing Manager, Paul helps artisans reach local and global audiences and transform their products from just artwork to iconic accessories that earn them a source of income. His work is a testament to the power of community and sustainable use of our resources to transform lives.
