While attending the Opportunity Collaboration Summit in Miches City, Dominican Republic, investors committed to fund piloting of Rwagweri’s social innovation (Traditional Artisan Inclusion Model) across countries in Africa.

This was after meeting impact investors who included Global Fund for Women, Skoll Foundation, Imago Dei Fund, Beyond Capital Fund, The Goodall Foundation, Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurs, Beyond Capital Ventures and MIT Solve.

Rwagweri whose social innovation (Traditional Artisan Inclusion model) won an Award by Opportunity Collaboration because it is addressing market exclusion leading to extreme poverty among the traditional artisans in Africa as a result of limited product development, design innovations, business skills, digital skills and infrastructure.

The innovation mobilizes capacity to advance product development, design innovations, business practices and digital marketing solutions to drive market access for traditional artisans and adapt them to the main stream creative manufacturing sector.

The innovation is implemented by “African Continental Crafts Ltd” which is a for profit social enterprise which was first incorporated in Uganda in 2021 and having a business focus on the artisan sector across Africa.

Stephen Rwagweri the Executive Director of Engabu Za Tooro NGO and CEO African Continental Crafts Limited is attending a global summit of innovators in Miches City, Dominican Republic. The meeting will take 5 days between 25th to 29th September, 2022.