Tengevuli

The name of our brand - "TengeVuli"- is inspired by our vision. The name refers both to wood and fabric, and it represents the larger purpose of our engagement, which is inspired by the desire to preserve the cultural roots of Africanness, widely expressed through traditional fabric, while at the same time integrating it into the aspects of the contemporary living lifestyle. The African fabric has a rich history, which has most recently been marked by a transformation of the Kitenge into a global fashion and art icon that celebrates the African way of life and identity. TengeVuli, the brand, wishes to further spread the knowledge about and celebration of African fabric, and has the ambition to promote vibrant African artistic expressions in various societies.

How do we intend to reach this purpose? It is by transforming typical African materials – Kitenge and wood – into innovative and new art and crafts. This process is based upon social values, namely giving opportunities to mainly young Kenyans who otherwise have difficulties in accessing the job market. When searching for people who share our engagement, we ¬focus on poorer areas of Nairobi, and favor for example single mothers, orphans, or others who face a challenge in securing their livelihoods. Sharing, and living humanity in the everyday life, are also core African values which we integrate in our engagement in that way. We source all our materials as locally as possible, and currently they are procured in Kenya, the wider Great Lakes region, as well as West Africa.

Source: Tengevuli