Janice Knausenberger

Beacon of Hope, Ongata Rongai, Kenya Feb 2010

janice@jgkdesigns.com — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 19:00:00 GMT

Beacon Of Hope in Ongata Rongai, Kenya, has come so far in its efforts to bring about positive changes in the lives in the Ongata Rongai community. I will give you a brief update here.

PAWENA, Nairobi, Kenya, Feb 2010

janice@jgkdesigns.com — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 18:22:00 GMT

PAWENA is the weaving workshop that for Pangani Lutheran Children's Center in Nairobi, Kenya. Monies earned from pieces produced to toward the housing and education of girls at risk. I first became involved with this workshop in 2007.

Njabini 2010 February

janice@jgkdesigns.com — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:53:00 GMT

The Wool Spinning Workshop in Njabini is moving along nicely. Since I began working with this motivated group in September, I have seen a growing confidence, improvements in their rug weavings, expansion in their product line and their inclusion of additional members of the community.

Nomadic Baskets from Northern Kenya

janice@jgkdesigns.com — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 11:06:00 GMT

Rendille and Samburu women of Northern Kenya have a tradition of weaving camel milk baskets. This craft was dying until a few years ago, when new markets were established and new designs were developed. Laura Lemunyete, the driving force behind these efforts, just swung through Nairobi with some new basket designs and news of an up and coming website for international sales.

Njabini Woolspinning Workshop, Aberdares, Kenya Dec 2009

janice@jgkdesigns.com — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:11:00 GMT

Njabini Wool Spinning Workshop in Kenya, formed 5 years ago in an effort to save endangered birds and their habitat while providing alternate forms of income for the local residents. In the summer of 2009, I was asked to help them improve the quality of their rugs. This group’s desire to produce quality products has resulted in frequent intense sessions that go from the steps of spinning to marketing and design . This is my first blog entry on my involvement with Njabini.

Weaving Workshop, Kenya

janice@jgkdesigns.com — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:30:00 GMT

In September 2009, the German Speaking Lutheran Congregation in Nairobi, Kenya, asked me if I would be able to create some new rug designs for their Weaving Workshop.

Accent Designs for Clothing and Home Furnishings: An introduction to Multiple Techniques

janice@jgkdesigns.com — Fri, 08 May 2009 14:36:00 GMT

Over the years here in Kenya, I have had specific and general request concerning specific techniques in hand weaving. This workshop on accent designs answered some of the questions I had been receiving with respect to making a fabric unique.

Outreach and Growth - A quick, personal look at some organizations and making a difference here in Africa.

janice@jgkdesigns.com — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 18:01:00 GMT

There are many people and organizations who are devoted to uplifting lives here in Africa. Through my husband’s work in development through USAID, I meet and hear of so very many people in the agricultural field. USAID is very involved in most aspect of uplifting lives. http://www.usaid.gov/locations/sub-saharan_africa/ is a good place to start. Under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act it is now easier for many African countries to export African made textiles to the US. More information on trade and the hubs established can be found at the African Global Competitiveness Initiative (AGCI) site: http://www.usaid.gov/locations/sub-saharan_africa/initiatives/agci.html . It would be a tremendous task to list all the governments and non-government organizations, that are working to improve lives here.

Keeping it personal, we have friends who work with many church or other religious groups that make so much difference. Again, the groups abound. Our good friends, Barb and Andy Hinderlie http://web.mac.com/chempast/iWeb/ , were based in Nairobi with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America for a few years and are now based in Madagascar. Through them, we discovered the fair trade group Manna Madagascar http://www.mannamadagascar.org/CSK/default.aspx. Barb and Andy also connected me with Pangani Lutheran Children’s Center: http://www.kelc.or.ke/women/plcc.htm where I recently begun assisting their weavers with technique and efficiency. The weavers at KELC work closely with the German Lutherans here, who are supervised by Gabe Harrison-Junga. Their work, again going towards charity, consists mostly of smart rugs made with colorful knitted cotton pieces. Beacon of Hope is a non-profit groups also and are covered in depth in other articles on this site. There is also a smattering of smaller, Christian loom weaving groups throughout the country, but I have not worked with them. Most of the products from these groups are sold directly to those who support them.

No commentary on contemporary loom weaving in Kenya without mentioning Jacqueline Resley. Jacqui, a designer, came to Kenya in the 1970’s. She witnessed the training of Kenyan weavers by the Danish and Scandinavians. When they left, she agreed to take over Kenya Weaver Bird, www.kenyaweaver.com . Jacqui has trained over 50 spinners, countless weavers, and is responsible, in a very big way, for setting high handweaving standards in Kenya. She produces original and top of the line clothing, upholstery, curtains, wall hangings and rugs, using locally handspun wool in most of her pieces. William Okello, one of those originally trained in the 1970’s, owns, with his wife Margaret, Pendeza Weavers in Kisumu, www.pendezaweaving.com. They are known for their work with fine cotton, weaving clothing, table cloths, and for their shawls made with cotton warp and handspun silk. I have fewer personal dealings with many of the multitude of other handloom weaving groups in Kenya who produce pieces from cotton rag rugs to woolen rugs to kikoys. Some of these have showrooms in Nairobi and produce on location and/or buy pieces made in the homes by local Kenyans.

It is very uplifting to constantly meet people who strive to improve their lives and/or dedicate their lives to helping others. One very present reminder of dedication to uplifting lives of others is the large presence of the UN here in Nairobi: http://www.unon.org/ . Two other friends, Rahmat and Nargis Ghassmi, who work with the Aga Khan Foundation : http://www.akdn.org/ and are very committed to improving the lives of others here in Africa and around the world. World Vision http://www.wvi.org/wvi/home.htm is another organization dedicated to uplifting those marginalized. Between the beauty and poverty, the need and the giving, Kenya is a dynamic place to live and to grow.

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Beacon of Hope Update Sept 2007

janice@jgkdesigns.com — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 21:06:00 GMT

Beacon of Hope (BOH) the Hiv/AIDS VCT center in Ongata Rongai, is moving forward with its weaving program. They just fulfilled an order for rugs from 10 Thousand Villages adn have fulfilled smaller orders for overseas buyers.

Beacon of Hope

janice@jgkdesigns.com — Thu, 31 May 2007 19:21:00 GMT

I continue to volunteer at Beacon of Hope, a VCT center (Voluntary Counseling and Testing center for Hiv/AIDS) in Ongata Rongai, just south of Nairobi, Kenya. As a community service, this center makes available free training in making tapestries/rugs, making kikoys (woven on 4shaft counterbalance looms), spinning, or tailoring. After the one year of training, the participants are ready to start their own business or can do piece work for BOH. In the 3 years I have helped, since October 2003, the weavers have really progressed in both their production and skill levels.