Weaving Hope Update

October 10, 2019
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The seeds of hope have been sown and we are happy to announce that our Weaving Hope initiative, launched two years ago, has enabled us to construct and open the first school in Rwanda! This charitable mission has been a passion project for both burton + BURTON® and Beacon Technologies, Inc.

The idea behind Weaving Hope is simple: fund new schools for Rwandan children with sales of beautiful handcrafted baskets made by local artisans in the small Rwandan village of Gitarama. 100% of the proceeds go directly to building schools that will nourish the minds and bodies of children–weaving hope for their future. This mission not only helps the children, but also offers opportunities for Rwandan women to earn a steady living and escape gender-based violence, inequality, and discrimination. These authentic, handmade African baskets arrive directly from a women’s cooperative in the village of Gitarama. Proceeds create meaningful jobs that provide for their families, moving them from crisis and poverty to stability and economic self-sufficiency.

Not only was a preschool constructed, but the area surrounding the school has been transformed into a special space for community gatherings. It has also given children who were unable to travel to schools farther away the opportunity for an education for the very first time. 300 people from the community were able to attend the dedication, including the Archbishop of Rwanda and local government officials.

With over 600 handmade baskets sold, the first school and community space was constructed. That’s not all, though: we are excited to announce that a second round of baskets will be produced, along with a commitment to build another school in the same community! This exciting new line of handmade baskets is diverse and on-trend for the upcoming season. You won’t want to miss this limited-time collection, so stay tuned for more updates and an official launch date announced on our website.

Learn more about Weaving Hope here.