About Us
There is a reason why "Social" is our last name!
We believe that the ultimate luxury is knowing the provenance and meaning of these baskets. Not only do the baskets reflect generations of traditional handicraft, they also provide income and financial independence for rural women in a context where employment is scarce and most women engage in unpaid labour in the home or on family farms. The Collectives in Ghana and Zimbabwe provide a supportive network that are all founded by CAMFED (the Campaign for Female Education) alumnae.
Hand crafted artisanal products
All of the Collectives are based in traditional basket weaving centres in Ghana and Zimbabwe. The women benefit from generations of talent in their art but also have a long legacy of being underpaid - if at all - for their work. The core ethos behind Mmaa is ensuring fair pay for each basket. The women in Binga shared how the first time they ever received money for their baskets was when we started working with them. Historically, they would be given a sack of sugar or pair of shoes for a number of baskets rather than being paid a fair wage.
Every bag you buy will help support social programmes
Access to sanitary products causes girls around the world to lose countless school days each year. We donate to support reusable sanitary kits (one pad holder, three washable pad liners, soap, six pairs of underwear and washing bag) that help keep girls in school and help end the shame and silence around period poverty. The reusable sanitary kits are made by seamstresses within the collective in Ghana therefore promoting another stream of income while also giving back to the community. More recently, we have also helped support community programmes in both Ghana and Zimbabwe that include vocational training programmes for teenage mothers in Ghana and resources for a local primary school in Binga.
Meet The Team
Rose, Leader of the collective in Sumbrungu
Rose, Leader of the collective in Sumbrungu
Rose, Leader of the collective in Sumbrungu
Rose has long been an advocate for her community and is responsible for the original - and largest- collective in Sumbrungu. In her own words, "We eat from the baskets, our children's education comes from the baskets, our clothes come from the baskets." She and the women she works with are at the very heart of all that we do. Basket w
Rose has long been an advocate for her community and is responsible for the original - and largest- collective in Sumbrungu. In her own words, "We eat from the baskets, our children's education comes from the baskets, our clothes come from the baskets." She and the women she works with are at the very heart of all that we do. Basket weaving is a tradition that has passed down through the generations and we are honoured to work with these talented artisans to ensure that they are fairly paid for their craft.
Veronica, Head of the Binga Collective
Rose, Leader of the collective in Sumbrungu
Rose, Leader of the collective in Sumbrungu
Veronica is the chair of the Binga weaving collective. She grew up in rural Binga and has a dream of supporting children as the Collective grows. They have already begun to support the local primary school. The Binga Baskets have generations of heritage behind them and similar to the Bolga baskets are very distinctive (we can spot one a
Veronica is the chair of the Binga weaving collective. She grew up in rural Binga and has a dream of supporting children as the Collective grows. They have already begun to support the local primary school. The Binga Baskets have generations of heritage behind them and similar to the Bolga baskets are very distinctive (we can spot one a mile off in Paris or London!). Her favourite baskets to weave are the beaded edge baskets.
Scelo, Head of Ngamo Collective
Rose, Leader of the collective in Sumbrungu
Scelo, Head of Ngamo Collective
Scelo runs the Ngamo Basket Weaving Collective on the border of the Hwande National Park in Zimbabwe. They work with ilala palm, sisal and recycled plastics for the distinctive Tsholotsho baskets and bowls. Her Collective also benefits from generations of knowledge and passion.
Rosinah, Mount Darwin Basketry
Deb, Mmaa collaborator in chief!
Scelo, Head of Ngamo Collective
Rosinah is the Founder of the latest Collective to join Mmaa from Zimbabwe. She was inspired to start her business by her mother-in-law, who is a weaver and passed down the art. Now she has started to teach weaving to other young women in her community. Whilst weaving has traditionally been perceived as an activity done by older women,
Rosinah is the Founder of the latest Collective to join Mmaa from Zimbabwe. She was inspired to start her business by her mother-in-law, who is a weaver and passed down the art. Now she has started to teach weaving to other young women in her community. Whilst weaving has traditionally been perceived as an activity done by older women, she has been able to inspire other young women to start the craft, providing them an opportunity to start a business and become financially independent.
Simon Ayimbire, COO in Ghana
Deb, Mmaa collaborator in chief!
Deb, Mmaa collaborator in chief!
Simon has worked tirelessly for ASIGE since day one! He runs logistics, is constantly out I the field travelling across the Collectives, manages partnerships and more. He is committed to bettering the lives of youth and women in his community and beyond. You can most often find him on his motorbike travelling between the Collectives, li
Simon has worked tirelessly for ASIGE since day one! He runs logistics, is constantly out I the field travelling across the Collectives, manages partnerships and more. He is committed to bettering the lives of youth and women in his community and beyond. You can most often find him on his motorbike travelling between the Collectives, listening to the weavers and working with them to ensure your baskets make it out into the world!
Deb, Mmaa collaborator in chief!
Deb, Mmaa collaborator in chief!
Deb, Mmaa collaborator in chief!
Deb was overwhelmingly inspired by Dorcas when they first met in Ghana in July 2017. A few baskets to Cambridge later, Mmaa was born! Previously, she worked in the City for ten years and then did her PhD in Cambridge and worked with CAMFED, the Campaign for Female Education. She is completely passionate about the transformative power o
Deb was overwhelmingly inspired by Dorcas when they first met in Ghana in July 2017. A few baskets to Cambridge later, Mmaa was born! Previously, she worked in the City for ten years and then did her PhD in Cambridge and worked with CAMFED, the Campaign for Female Education. She is completely passionate about the transformative power of the Collectives on communities. See/hear more with her TedX talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9YJgdb6dew
Dorcas, founder of ASIGE
Dorcas, founder of ASIGE
Dorcas, founder of ASIGE
Dorcas' background of extreme rural poverty didn't limit her, it inspired her to strive to make a difference to her community. She is a global advocate for livelihood opportunities for rural women. She established ASIGE - Advocacy for Social Inclusion and Girls' Education - to reach the most marginalised members of her community. She h
Dorcas' background of extreme rural poverty didn't limit her, it inspired her to strive to make a difference to her community. She is a global advocate for livelihood opportunities for rural women. She established ASIGE - Advocacy for Social Inclusion and Girls' Education - to reach the most marginalised members of her community. She has a degree in Development Studies from the University of Waa and a Masters Degree from the University of Edinburgh where she currently resides.