In the rural West Nile area of Northern Uganda lies the village of Akiliba, home to our artisan partners who are determined to use pottery as a way to support their entire community. These beautiful creations are hand-built using locally sourced clay, and then stacked into a brush-covered mound for firing.
Independence is as critical for these artisans as the preservation of their ancient craft. Naima, one of the village elders summarizes this sentiment: “We want to get out of poverty and be able to feed ourselves and put our children through school.”
In the past, the potters’ remote location and lack of transportation left these talented artisans struggling to reach larger markets in the area. Now, through our partnership with the village, we have been able to help them travel to these markets, enabling the community to grow a sustainable local source of income.
“We don’t want to have to rely on others, we want to be independent.” –Animo, Akiliba Potter