PEOPLE

PEOPLE ARE AT THE HEART OF WHAT WE DO

OUR COMMITMENT

All our suppliers commit to:

THE INFORMAL SECTOR

Supporting the informal sector by:

We promote artisan made products in the global market and create demand for their product. In addition, we:

Provide business and management
Improve production methods and planning skills to help with scaling of production
Financing new tooling and equipment
Training on product standards and quality control
Providing upfront finance for materials at zero-interest

100% INITIATIVE

Making small but meaningful impact

Artisan’s make up a very large proportion of the informal sector in Africa and is a primary income source for many families.
Our 100% Initiative benefits the artisans directly by supporting them with regular orders, mentorship and financial support. As we scale, this will provide them with sustainable incomes which will help improve their quality

How we define the formal sector

A facility designated specifically for bulk production with 20 or more full time workers involved in the production/manufacturing process with or without the aid of power machinery.

How we define the informal sector

Small workshop: A stand alone production space that does not qualify as a factory and is not a work space within a home. A small workshop has less than 20 workers producing by hand work without the use of machinery and less than 10 workers if using machinery in the production process
Home workshop: Production activities occur inside or around the home, where workers are all related family members. Once workers are from outside the family, the home workshop will be considered a small or community production workshop
Community workshop: An informal workshop, often a public place without any formal structure, where workers from the same community can come together and work casually as independent contractors. This is generally not a fixed location and workers are free to come at will, usually on an intermittent

Objectives

The primary goal of In Our Name's social impact objective is to support artisans in enhancing their livelihoods through the utilisation of their skills and creativity. We aim to establish a thriving economic incubation hub that fosters positive change in both the lives of artisans and their community.
Through this initiative, we seek to empower artisans to harness their unique talents and craftsmanship which will create a platform for them to flourish. The envisioned economic incubation hub will serve as a nurturing environment where artisans can grow their businesses and expand their entrepreneurial endeavors. Through our efforts, we aspire to enhance the financial stability of artisans and their families, improving their overall living conditions. As artisans prosper, they become role models and catalysts for change within their community, inspiring others to explore their own talents and pursue economic opportunities. As the artisan sector grows and thrives, it will contribute to the economic development of the community, creating a positive domino effect that uplifts the livelihoods of its members

Back drop of the Informal sector in Kenya (DATA 2022)

6.9m informal artisan enterprises in Kenya (2nd largest employer)
Micro enterprises run largely by women 58.5%
55.6% of small & medium sized run by men
9/10 informal economy workers are in the informal sector. Micro enterprise owners are unable to pay income tax and NHIF & NSSF for their workers

What we are aiming to solve

Poverty alleviation by creating economic incubation hubs that will support sustainable incomes. Specifically supporting the informal sector technically and financially to improve economic security by creating an economic domino effect in the community. This can be achieved by promoting/growing a consistent market demand (global customers) to buy more regularly
Prioritising skills development by empowering artisans to enhance their abilities, ensuring they consistently produce products that meet global market standards and satisfy consumer demands.
Building a comprehensive capacity building strategy that enables consistent quality production throughout the year, thereby reducing extreme production peaks and troughs and providing a more secure and consistent income. This strategy involves providing financial support, facilitating training programs, improving tooling, and supporting educational initiatives within the community.
100% of all net profits (100% Initiative) generated from the artisanal products sold is reinvested in local initiatives, where our artisans receive production, technical and business training as well as financial support which allows them to invest in better tooling, equipment, afford to buy raw materials and better workshop conditions

Stakeholders

We involve all our stakeholders in; the artisans, community members (promoting female hygiene), raw material suppliers, manufacturing partner (in the formal sector) etc. as they provide insight and perspective in specific areas and are better equipped to map and understand specific needs of the communities we are serving. We value stake holder engagement as they are better equipped to identify, map and understand the needs and concerns of internal and external stakeholders Seek their input to ensure that the selected indicators align with their needs, priorities, and perspectives.

Indicators

We use several indicators (anchored to our aims) to measure and assess changes in income and lifestyle standards and the number of beneficiaries we reach. We look at; improvements in livelihood and quality of life, upskilling, capacity building for future commercial opportunities, reduction in poverty, alleviating period poverty and environmental conservation each with a unique Inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes and Impact