AT A GLANCE
Partner since: 2018
Refugee origin: Syria, Sudan, Yemen
Refugee location: Giza, Egypt
Yadawee, meaning “handmade” in Arabic, is a for-profit social enterprise that was established in 2002 in Cairo, Egypt. Yadawee works with local and refugee artisans and craftsmen to produce high-quality handicrafts while ensuring fair trade practices every step of the way. Yadawee is a guaranteed member of the World Fair Trade Organization.
Refugee Artisan Group
Yadawee collaborates with Syrian, Sudanese, and Yemeni refugees living in Egypt. Currently, they are working with four different refugee artisan groups consisting of a total of 64 women. The groups are based in Cairo and Alexandria. Working side-by-side with local artisans, refugees craft beautiful products that range from totes to aprons, scarves to tea towels. Often these items are made using local, organic cotton and finished with loving details like embroidery, screen printing or block printing.
I hope that whoever sees it, holds it or buys it, knows its value and how much effort was invested in it…that it is handmade, a fine piece with a lot of effort invested in it, with lots of details and accuracy. And above all that it's made with love.
