Zawadisha
Zawadisha is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that sells ethically sourced African artisan goods through a Shopify storefront, Reno retail partnerships, and Kenya safaris, with 100% of proceeds funding microloans for rural Kenyan women.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersTruckee, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Zawadisha does
Zawadisha is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded around 2010 by Jen Gurecki originally as a graduate research project that began microlending to eight women in rural Kenya. The organization has since evolved into a hybrid model that combines an ethically sourced handcrafted-goods marketplace with a continuing microlending program for rural Kenyan women, supported by a small team (1–10 people) headquartered in the Reno/Truckee area of the United States with a rural Kenya operations office in Maungu.
The core commercial operation is a Shopify-powered e-commerce store (zawadisha.org) selling roughly 91 products across handmade sisal baskets, jewelry, bath and body, kitchen and dining, and home decor categories, sourced from artisan collectives across Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Eswatini, Ghana, and Zanzibar. Pricing is unit-based and modest: baskets $21–$58, jewelry $35–$59, home decor mostly under $50, a mystery box at $75, and gift cards from $10–$250. Distribution is hybrid: owned Shopify storefront, year-round shop-in-shop at Wyld Market Collective in Reno, seasonal farmers market presence in the Reno/Tahoe area, and pop-ups such as Made in Tahoe. A secondary experiential revenue stream consists of two annual Kenya safaris (a 15-day Cycling Safari limited to ~12 riders in partnership with Savage Wilderness Safaris since 2022, and a 13-day Artisan Safari), with 100% of proceeds from shop sales and trips funding the microlending program.
The business model rests on three revenue streams: artisan product sales (one-time e-commerce), safari trips (professional services), and donations (now secondary after the COVID-19 disruption). Customer segments are primarily conscious consumers shopping via direct-to-consumer e-commerce, with smaller cohorts of adventure travelers and rural Kenyan women as program beneficiaries rather than paying customers. There is no proprietary technology stack, no AI/ML capabilities, no disclosed revenue figures, no venture or institutional funding, and the organization is operationally controlled by its founder and a small women-led team across the US and Kenya.
Zawadisha firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Zawadisha
- Legal name
- Zawadisha
- Website
- https://zawadisha.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Zawadisha is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that sells ethically sourced African artisan goods through a Shopify storefront, Reno retail partnerships, and Kenya safaris, with 100% of proceeds funding microloans for rural Kenyan women.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Zawadisha industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fair Trade Artisan Goods
- NAICS
- Jewelry Retailers (458310)
- SIC
- Costume Jewelry & Novelties (3960)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Handmade/Craft Fashion Jewelry (Beaded/Wire/Woven) (CRAKABAD)
Keywords
Where Zawadisha is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Truckee
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Zawadisha business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Artisan Product Sales: E-commerce sales of handcrafted African goods including sisal baskets, jewelry, home decor, bath & body products, and kitchen items. 100% of profits fund the micro-lending program in Kenya.
- Cycling Safari Tours: 15-day cycling safari trips in Kenya (July annually) with up to 12 riders. 100% of proceeds directly support microlending program.
- Artisan Safari Tours: 13-day artisan safari experience through Kenya including Nairobi, Tsavo Conservancy, and Lamu. Includes basket weaving workshops and community visits.
- Donations: Former primary revenue stream that collapsed during COVID-19 pandemic. Now secondary to product sales.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Handmade Baskets |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Jewelry |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Home Decor & Kitchen |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mystery Box |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Cards |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cycling Safari |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Artisan Safari |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Zawadisha product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Zawadisha is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit that sells ethically sourced handcrafted African artisan goods — including sisal baskets, jewelry, home decor, bath & body products, and kitchen items — through its Shopify e-commerce store, farmers markets, and a retail partnership in Reno. 100% of shop profits fund a microlending program providing small loans to rural Kenyan women for essential household items and livelihood financing. The organization also operates annual guided Cycling and Artisan Safaris in Kenya as fundraising travel experiences.
Product overview
Zawadisha is an ethically sourced handcrafted goods marketplace and nonprofit organization that sells artisan products from across Africa to fund microloans for rural Kenyan women. The core product portfolio consists of handwoven baskets (primarily sisal from Kenya and Rwanda), jewelry (from Cape Town artisans and Quazi Designs in Eswatini), bath and body products (natural soaps and perfumes from Lamu Island), kitchen and dining items (batik textiles from Ghana, olive wood utensils), home decor (upcycled glass from Zanzibar, felt bowls from South Africa), mystery boxes, and gift cards. The company also operates travel experiences including a 15-day Cycling Safari and 13-day Artisan Safari in Kenya. All proceeds from the shop fund the microlending program supporting women in Kenya. Products are sold through the Shopify-powered online store, with physical presence at farmers markets and the Wyld Market Collective in Reno.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Handmade Baskets Handwoven sisal baskets sourced from Kenyan artisans, including thick weave and fine weave varieties from the Hadithi cooperative in the Kasigau region, plus Rwandan woven sisal bowls and sisal plant hangers from the Neema Women's Group.
- Jewelry Handcrafted jewelry including earrings and necklaces from various African artisans, including brass and sterling silver pieces from A Bird Named Frank in Cape Town and paper pulp jewelry from Quazi Designs in Eswatini.
- Bath & Body Natural body care products including handmade soaps (Lamu Avocado Scrub Soap) and solid perfumes made on Lamu Island, Kenya, using all-natural ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, avocado oil, and essential oils.
- Kitchen & Dining Kitchen textiles and dining items including reversible organic batik aprons, pot holders, napkins from Global Mamas (Ghana), olive wood serving utensils, and handwoven organic cotton napkins from Rwanda.
- Home Decor Decorative home items including Rwandan woven sisal bowls, wool felt nesting bowls and Ukhamba bowls from Cape Town, upcycled glass jars and tea light holders from Chako (Zanzibar), and felt nesting bowls from South African artisans.
- African Artisan Mystery Box Curated collection of handmade African artisan treasures sourced from across Africa including textiles, carved wooden goods, jewelry, and ceramics. Contains at least $150 in new, first quality goods. Sold for $75 (regularly $150). Proceeds fund microlending program.
- Zawadisha Gift Card Digital gift cards available in $10, $25, $50, $100, and $250 denominations. Never expire, redeemable with discounts. Proceeds directly support the microlending program in Kenya, with option for Monica (head of Kenyan operations) to call the recipient.
- Cycling Safari 15-day guided bicycle safari through Kenya, traveling from Nairobi through the Loita Hills, Maasai Mara, Tsavo Conservancy, to Diani beaches. Includes glamping, wildlife viewing, and two full days with Zawadisha women. Limited to 10-12 riders. Operated in partnership with Savage Wilderness Safaris.
- Artisan Safari 13-day skillcation trip through Kenya combining wildlife safari, artisan craft workshops, and beach relaxation. Includes Nairobi exploration, Lake Naivasha, Tsavo Conservancy basket weaving with Hadithi cooperative, and Swahili coast in Lamu. Includes all meals, transport, and accommodation.
Quantifiable outcome
- Thousands of rural Kenyan women provided microloans for essential household items and business financing
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Zawadisha
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Zawadisha technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Zawadisha partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Savage Wilderness SafariscoreFamily-owned Nairobi-based adventure travel company. Partner for bicycle safari operations since 2022. Provides guided cycling tours through Kenya including Maasai Mara and Tsavo Conservancy.
- HadithicoreKenyan sisal basket cooperative based in Kasigau region near Tsavo. Joint effort to provide training and loans to women artisan weavers. 'Hadithi' means 'story' in Swahili. Basket weaving is a Taita tradition preserved through this partnership.
- Quazi DesignscoreWomen's collective in Eswatini transforming waste newspaper into handcrafted paper pulp jewelry and masks. Products made using 100% waste newspaper and brass. Women handcraft items with basic tools and sunlight.
- Global MamasminorPartnership for organic batik kitchen and dining items including aprons, pot holders, and napkins from Ghana.
- A Bird Named FrankminorCape Town, South Africa artisan jewelry maker. Mixed-metal brass and sterling silver jewelry with nature-inspired designs. Handmade in South Africa.
- Powered by PeopleminorSupplier of handwoven organic cotton napkins from Rwanda (Maua, Sungura, Bahari collections). Eco-friendly table linens.
- ChakocoreZanzibar-based social enterprise transforming waste wine bottles into upcycled glass home goods. World Fair Trade Organisation member. Collects 2+ million bottles annually. 60% female artisans. Products include Karafuu, Hiliki, and Kikuba upcycled glass items.
- Grameen BankminorOriginal microlending model that inspired Zawadisha's program. Founded by Mohammad Yunus with $27 personal loan to families in Bangladesh. Referenced as the only existing model in early 2000s.
- Wyld Market CollectivecoreReno-based home for handmade goods and small-batch makers at 1640 S Wells Ave. Zawadisha operates shop-within-a-shop at this location.
- Kivuli CampminorAccommodation partner in Tsavo Conservancy. Open-air lodging beneath the Tsavo sky for artisan safari participants.
- Origins TravelsminorTravel company for Kenya trips mentioned in Hadithi partnership context for visiting Tsavo East and Tsavo West national park areas.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Zawadisha competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- SERRV International: Nonprofit fair-trade organization operating since 1949, selling artisan-made goods online and through partner retail locations. Directly comparable mission (dignified income for artisans) and product categories, with much longer operating history and larger catalog.
- Ten Thousand Villages: Largest fair-trade nonprofit retailer in North America, operating hundreds of stores plus e-commerce selling artisan crafts from dozens of countries. Comparable product categories (baskets, jewelry, home decor) and fair-trade artisan sourcing model, but at substantially greater scale and brand recognition.
Direct peers
- The Little Market: 501(c)(3) nonprofit e-commerce retailer of fairly traded artisan goods from around the world, with proceeds funding humanitarian programs. Closest analog to Zawadisha: nonprofit + artisan marketplace + social-mission funding model.
- Noonday Collection: Impact-driven artisan brand (jewelry, home goods, accessories) partnering with artisan groups across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Highly comparable to Zawadisha in artisan jewelry/home decor catalog, story-driven marketing, and social-mission branding.
- Trades of Hope: Fair-trade company partnering with artisan groups in developing countries to sell jewelry, accessories, and home goods through a multi-level ambassador sales model. Highly comparable mission (empowering women artisans) and product mix, though uses a different go-to-market structure.
- Global Goods Partners: Nonprofit fair-trade organization working with artisan groups in 20+ countries to sell handcrafted goods. Same nonprofit-plus-artisan-marketplace structure as Zawadisha, with overlapping product categories (baskets, jewelry, home decor).
- African Marketplace: Online retailer specializing in fairly traded African artisan products including baskets, jewelry, home decor, and textiles. Directly comparable product categories and African sourcing model, though without the microlending nonprofit structure.
- BeadforLife (LiveBeyond): Originally founded to create market access for Ugandan women bead artisans, now operating as LiveBeyond with continued artisan-product commerce. Closely parallels Zawadisha's origin story — graduate-research-founded microlending/artisan nonprofit in East Africa.
Emerging players
- Made Trade: Online marketplace curating ethically made (fair-trade, sustainable, US-based) home goods, jewelry, and accessories. Comparable e-commerce-first mission-driven retail model targeting conscious consumers, though with broader geographic sourcing.
Regional players
- Mayamiko: Ethical fashion and home-textile brand sourcing from artisan groups in Malawi and across Africa. Overlapping African artisan sourcing model and home-goods/jewelry catalog, though headquartered in UK rather than US.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Zawadisha social profiles
Digital presenceZawadisha financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Zawadisha leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Zawadisha funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Zawadisha M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Zawadisha
What does Zawadisha do?
Zawadisha is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit that sells ethically sourced handcrafted African artisan goods — including sisal baskets, jewelry, home decor, bath & body products, and kitchen items — through its Shopify e-commerce store, farmers markets, and a retail partnership in Reno. 100% of shop profits fund a microlending program providing small loans to rural Kenyan women for essential household items and livelihood financing. The organization also operates annual guided Cycling and Artisan Safaris in Kenya as fundraising travel experiences.
Is Zawadisha a public or private company?
Zawadisha is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Zawadisha founded?
Zawadisha was founded in 2010. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Zawadisha based?
Zawadisha is headquartered in Truckee, United States, in the North America region.
How does Zawadisha make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Artisan Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are cycling Safari Tours, artisan Safari Tours and donations.
Who are Zawadisha's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are SERRV International and Ten Thousand Villages. Direct peers are The Little Market, Noonday Collection, Trades of Hope, Global Goods Partners, African Marketplace and BeadforLife (LiveBeyond). Made Trade is listed as an emerging player. Mayamiko is listed as a regional player.
Does Zawadisha have an API?
No public API is recorded for Zawadisha.
What industry is Zawadisha in?
Zawadisha's product category is Fair Trade Artisan Goods. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAKABAD, Handmade/Craft Fashion Jewelry (Beaded/Wire/Woven). Its NAICS code is 458310 and its SIC code is 3960.