Nyanya Project

Nyanya Crafts Project, Dar Es Salaam
Tanzanian Alliance: GOIG (Getting Old Is To Grow)

Dar Es Salaam, located on the Indian Ocean of Africa’s eastern coast, is Tanzania’s largest city and seat of government. On its outskirts is a vocational handcraft center called GOIG. An American friend who helps develop craft products from Africa for American distribution, such as the successful Rawandan Peace Baskets project at Macy’s last year, told Niepold about GOIG.

GOIG makes beautiful sisal table mats, carpets, hammocks, tie-dyed fabrics and home accessories. It was founded in 1999 by Grace Matemba, a widow with seven grandchildren, who wanted to create a center that would train women in craft production.

Today, more than 100 people are trained here, and Mary Mzeru, who directs GOIG, says she knows more than 40 grandmothers in the area who need ongoing revenue and training to help care for their grandchildren orphaned by AIDS.

The Nyanya Crafts Project will help fund training for these grandmothers and marketing of their crafts in Africa and America. Like other TNP projects, the Nyanya Crafts Project will organize grandmothers into a cooperative for ongoing income generation and investment and provide education in the proper handling of family members who are sick.