NEEMA CRAFTS LIMITED

What NEEMA CRAFTS LIMITED does

Neema Crafts Limited is a non-profit social enterprise founded in 2003 in Iringa, Tanzania, originally under the Anglican Diocese of Ruaha, that trains and employs over 100 deaf and disabled artisans across eight workshops producing handmade goods including paper (from elephant dung, maize leaves and recycled paper), hand-woven textiles, tailored items, Zanzibari-style wood carvings from sustainably sourced teak, screen-printed fabrics, ceramics and recycled glass beads. The organization operates a vertically integrated multi-revenue model comprising an on-site shop, an award-winning deaf-staffed cafe serving European and Swahili dishes, a ten-bedroom en-suite guesthouse (a joint venture with the local Mother's Union, UMAKI, opened in 2011) and conference facilities seating up to 100 people with full catering, supplemented by an online store serving Tanzania, a partner-run shop at Slipway in Dar es Salaam, and a network of international stockists across the UK, USA and East Africa including Good Things, Colourful Minds, Elewana Collection, Kisasa Designs, Kumi, TanzHand and retail at Julius Nyerere International Airport.

The business is supported by a UK-registered charity entity (Neema Crafts Workshop, Charity Commission No. 4027623) that handles fundraising, and a partner-operated physiotherapy, speech and language, and occupational therapy centre run by NGO Call Africa serving children with disabilities. The technology stack is intentionally low-tech to enable inclusion of workers without electricity access, employing hand- or foot-powered looms and machines. The organization achieved operational self-sustainability in 2013, with trainee wages and overheads no longer dependent on charitable giving, and was honoured with the Mwenge (Tanzanian national freedom torch) in 2008 and an MBE for founder Susie Hart in 2012. Leadership transitioned in 2023 to Joseph and Hannah Adams, who brought engineering backgrounds from the UK to professionalise systems in operations and production.

Name

NEEMA CRAFTS LIMITED

Legal name

Neema Crafts

Website

https://neemacrafts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Neema Crafts Limited is a non-profit social enterprise founded in 2003 in Iringa, Tanzania, training and employing over 100 deaf and disabled artisans who produce handmade crafts across eight workshops alongside a deaf-staffed cafe, guesthouse, conference facilities and an international stockist network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Handcrafted Homeware and Accessories

NAICS

Paper Manufacturing (322), Household and Institutional Furniture Manufacturing (33712)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Household Furniture (2510), Papers & Allied Products (2600)

akta.pro primary industry

Crafts & Maker Arts (Ceramics, Textiles, Jewelry, Mixed Media) (EDAMAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Crafts & DIY (Paper, Fiber, Wood, Resin, DIY Projects) (EDAAAGAB), Table & Dining Textiles Manufacturing (Tablecloths/Napkins/Placemats/Runners) (IMAOAKAF), Decorative & Soft Furnishings Manufacturing (Cushion Covers/Throws/Quilts) (IMAOAKAG), Stationery & Office Paper Products (notebooks, pads, forms) (IMAMAHAG)

Keywords

• Handcrafted homeware
• Artisan disability employment
• Ethical handicrafts
• Social enterprise crafts
• Handmade paper products

Headquarters

HQ city

Iringa

HQ country

Tanzania

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Craft Product Sales: Sale of handcrafted products including paper goods (cards, books), woven items (scarves, placemats, bags), tailored items (bags, purses, toys), carpentry items (furniture, lamp bases, beads), screen-printed fabrics, and ceramic items. Products sold through own shop, online, and via stockists.
2. Cafe and Restaurant: Award-winning cafe predominantly run by deaf staff serving European and Swahili dishes. Generates revenue from food and beverage sales to visitors and tourists.
3. Guesthouse Accommodation: Ten-bedroom guesthouse with en-suite rooms ranging from single to family rooms. Joint venture with Mother's Union (UMAKI). Generates accommodation revenue.
4. Conference Facilities: Conference room rental for up to 100 people with catering options. Generates revenue from room hire and food/beverage packages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Neema Crafts manufactures handmade homeware and accessories (paper goods, weaving, tailoring, carpentry, screen printing, ceramics, recycled glass beads) through workshops staffed by deaf and disabled artisans in Iringa, Tanzania. The organization also operates an award-winning cafe, a ten-room guesthouse, and conference facilities, alongside a physiotherapy centre for children with disabilities operated in partnership with Call Africa.

Product overview

Neema Crafts is a social enterprise providing training and employment for over 100 people with disabilities in Iringa, Tanzania. The organization operates as a multi-workshop craft production centre producing handcrafted goods (handmade paper, weaving, tailoring, carpentry, screen printing, ceramics, and recycled glass beads) alongside hospitality services (award-winning café, ten-room guesthouse, and conference facilities). The crafts shop and online store sell these handcrafted products. A physiotherapy centre, operated by partner Call Africa, provides rehabilitation services for children with disabilities. The business is self-sustaining through sales revenue and aims to change societal attitudes toward disability in Tanzania.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Handmade Paper Products Handmade paper produced from elephant dung, maize leaves, and recycled paper, used for greeting cards, books, and packaging. Made by deaf and disabled artisans at the Neema Crafts Centre in Iringa, Tanzania.
• Tailoring Products Hand-sewn items including baby shoes, weekend bags, washbags, purses, clutch purses, dolls, children's clothes, animal toys, and cushions produced by deaf and disabled artisans.
• Weaving Products Hand-woven scarves, blankets, napkins, placemats, and bags made on small handlooms by artisans with disabilities, designed for mixed-ability production.
• Carpentry Products Furniture, turned lamp bases, candle holders, wooden beads, key rings, napkin holders, chopping boards, and Zanzibari style wood carvings made from sustainably sourced teak from the Kilombero Valley.
• Screen-Printed Products Screen-printed fabrics and materials produced by deaf artisans with fresh designs from in-house designers and volunteers, used for tailored items and lampshades.
• Ceramic Products Ceramic products produced in the ceramics workshop at the Neema Crafts Centre in Iringa, Tanzania.
• Recycled Glass Beads Beads made from recycled glass materials produced by artisans at the Neema Crafts Centre.
• Cafe Award-winning cafe run predominantly by deaf staff serving European and Swahili dishes, beverages including lattes and smoothies, and homemade cakes. Open Mon-Sat 8.00am-6.30pm.
• Guesthouse Accommodation Ten en-suite room guesthouse (described as the first disabled-staffed guesthouse in Africa) with single, double/twin, family, and triple rooms, staffed by deaf and able-bodied employees.
• Conference Facilities Conference room rental for up to 100 people with catering services, free Wi-Fi, flexible seating, and free parking. Available for half-day or full-day hire.
• Physiotherapy Centre Physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, and occupational therapy services for children with disabilities, operated by partner Call Africa. Includes 8 focal points across Iringa and home visit services.
• Retail Shop Physical and online retail shop selling Neema Crafts handcrafted products at the Iringa Centre, the partner-run shop at Slipway in Dar es Salaam, online across Tanzania, and through international stockists in the UK, USA, Kenya, and Zanzibar.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 deaf and disabled people employed at the centre
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Call AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Call Africa is an NGO working in the Iringa Region that runs the physiotherapy centre at Neema Crafts. They provide physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, and occupational therapy to children with disabilities. The centre is open 3 days a week and includes a full meal programme for children.
• Mother's Union (UMAKI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Joint venture partnership for the ten-bedroom guesthouse. UMAKI (Mother's Union of the Diocese of Ruaha) partners with Neema Crafts to employ deaf and able-bodied staff in the guesthouse.
• PET, MN - Twin CitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to distribute hand-trikes to people with disabilities across the Iringa Region. Through this partnership, Neema Crafts has secured 88 PET hand carts and 17 wheelchairs for distribution.
• See Ability First InternationalminorOthersOrganisation founded by former Neema Crafts directors Ben and Katy Ray in Arusha, working with people with disabilities.
• Artizan InternationalminorOthersOrganisation founded by Susie Hart MBE (founder of Neema Crafts), which works with people with disabilities in the UK and across the world.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Indego Africa: Rwanda-based social enterprise partnering with women artisan cooperatives to produce home goods, accessories, and apparel sold through international retail partners. Comparable African craft production social enterprise with strong wholesale distribution into US/EU markets.
• SOKO: Kenya-based ethical jewelry and accessories brand using artisan production with a global e-commerce platform. Comparable East African fashion/accessories social enterprise with artisan production and international direct-to-consumer reach.
• BeadforLife: Uganda-based social enterprise producing hand-rolled paper beads and crafts, empowering women artisans. Comparable African craft social enterprise with handmade paper products and international wholesale/retail channels.
• Kazuri Beads: Kenya-based ceramics and bead social enterprise employing disadvantaged artisans, with on-site factory tours and shop. Closely comparable model: workshop tours, artisan production of crafts, social mission, and tourism-adjacent retail.
• All Across Africa: Rwanda-based social enterprise empowering artisans (primarily women) through handcraft production and global wholesale distribution. Highly comparable African craft social enterprise with similar mission-driven production model and international sales channels.
• Krochet Kids: Uganda-based social enterprise employing artisans to produce apparel and accessories, sold globally through e-commerce and retail partnerships. Comparable African social enterprise with craft production and impact-driven employment model.

Others

• See Ability First International: Arusha-based organisation founded by former Neema Crafts directors Ben and Katy Ray, working with people with disabilities. Sister organisation with overlapping mission and East African disability-employment focus.
• Artizan International: Social enterprise founded by Neema Crafts' founder Susie Hart MBE, working with people with disabilities in the UK and globally. Sister organisation with shared founder and mission focus on disability employment through crafts.
• Global Artisan Market: Online fair-trade marketplace aggregating handmade goods from artisan cooperatives globally. Comparable as a fair-trade distribution channel; serves as adjacent ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Ten Thousand Villages: Large North American fair-trade retailer and wholesaler working with artisan groups across 20+ countries including East Africa. Comparable as a fair-trade craft retail channel; broader portfolio and global scale dwarf Neema's reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/neemacrafts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/neema-crafts-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NEEMA CRAFTS LIMITED