Customer Testimonial

From Candice of Brunch with Munch:

I love to shop and I love shopping for a cause even more. I am always on the lookout for companies who are trying to give back and when I stumbled upon Tukula's website, I knew I wanted to work with them. My grandfather has traveled to Africa (Uganda once) a few times with his church to serve the people and to give back what he could. He always brings back such amazing, handmade, one of a kind quality items. Tukula is no different. Each design is unique and each item has a story. I loved working with Melissa and the members of Tukula. They are friendly, compassionate, and a blessing. I urge everyone to explore not only their website, but what they are all about. I know you will fall in love with them just as I have!

Candice is giving away one of our Shami Bag's on her blog - be sure to check it out: http://brunchwithmunch.blogspot.com/

Sweet Flavia has been coming to shop after school everyday since January. She is six years old and the Niece of Sally, from deep in the village of Arua (Northern Uganda). When Sally returned to Jinja from visiting her family in Arua this past Christmas and New Years she brought back little Flavia so she could attend school in Jinja Town. When Flavia came to Jinja she didn't know any English or even the local language in Jinja (luganda) - she only new her village language. Since starting school Flavia has learned a lot of English and Luganda and loves playing with her new friends. She is quite Sassy and ALWAYS singing or humming. The ladies in the jinja shop say that she is their radio. Flavia has also been an inspiration to our WEE GROW line. She would often take the scrap pieces of fabric from the bags and wrap them around her head or knot them all together. We thought the bright Kitenge prints looked so cute on her so we decided to make the headwraps in kid sizes. Since Sally works for tukula she is able to pay for Flavia to go to a good school close to their home. We love seeing the money the women make being used on their families and the community around them.

This is the first installment of our ARTISAN INTERVIEW series.

Through these interviews you will get a better look at the lives of the ladies

and their work with tukula.

First up is tukula's very first seamstress, Nakato Bennah.

JOE: What are some things that tukula has helped you to do?
BENNAH: Tukula has helped me to earn some money to look after myself. Sometimes I can find when there is no money at home, when my husband has no money, so this money can help us and help my kid. It has also helped me to help other people.

J: What are 3 things that you like about your job?
B: I like my job because it gives me peace, I am working with free people who don't put pressure on me, naturally I like it like that.

J: How has tukula helped you besides financially?
B: They are friendly, they are close, and open to us, we can talk about anything we want.

J: What do you want for your future?
B: Since I am a tailor right now I would like to get my own workshop in the future with 10 machines around to teach others, for those who want to learn.

J: What would you like to say to people buying your bags?
B: I want to thank everybody who buys our bags because it has helped us in so many ways. If there was nobody to buy we would be losing jobs and losing courage but when their buying we can support ourselves like that.
Really, I thank them very much!

To learn more about Bennah and her family visit:
www.tukula.org/bennah.html

Jacob's Firsts

We love this kid!