During Women鈥檚 History Month, it is important to recognize women leaders who have made an impact on our world and inspire other women to make a difference. It is also important to recognize organizations that support women and their communities around the world, such as the Uganda Alliance Club at Iowa State.
The Uganda Alliance Club works to support and bring awareness to the women of the Tusubila crafts group of Kumuli, Uganda. This group has grown to include sixty women who create crafts such as handmade baskets, jewelry, bags, soap and masks. The Uganda Alliance Club has partnered with the Tusubila women to sell their products within the Iowa State community, with a goal of expanding their market and increasing sales.
The idea for the Uganda Alliance program started in the summer of 2019 when Katie Stringer, an ISU student, was studying abroad through the ISU-Uganda program. She realized that most of the Tusubila group鈥檚 sales were within their small rural community and that there was a potential market opportunity for the baskets back in the United States. She presented her idea to the sponsors of her study abroad program, the Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihood (CSRL) at Iowa State University. By working with CSRL staff, the Uganda Alliance was formed and baskets started arriving in Ames.
The CSRL works directly with the Tusubila crafts group to provide training and materials to make the baskets. Each basket is handmade from dried raffia and banana leaves and labeled with the name of the woman who created it. Individual women receive payments for the goods they produce, allowing buyers to directly support these women and their families. These payments increase and diversify each woman's income, helping to pay school fees and purchase food, household items, and livestock.
The Uganda Alliance basket sales have greatly impacted the lives of the Tusubila women. In less than two years since the Uganda Alliance was formed, several hundred baskets have been sold. Baskets are sold each semester through club events, sales on campus, or social media posts. The club has typically relied on students, faculty, and staff traveling back to Ames from study abroad programs to transport baskets back with their luggage, but due to limited travel, the club is considering other ways of shipping the baskets. In the future, club members hope to sell additional products from the Tusubila crafts group. Through the Uganda Alliance program, Iowa State students will be able to support Ugandan women and their community for years to come.
For anyone interested in supporting the club, members from Uganda Alliance will be selling baskets outside of Parks Library on April 9th from 10am to 4pm. The club will also be selling baskets in the Workspace in the Memorial Union April 12th through 24th. For more information about the Uganda Alliance program and the Tusubila crafts group check out this website: and follow the club's social media accounts: @uganda_alliance_isu