Burundi Project

Burundi Project

The BurThe Burundi Project is led and fully implemented by WomenCraft, following its selection by UNHCR Burundi to develop a co-creation initiative with returnee women artisans in Rumandari, Burundi. Launched in 2025, the project was developed in close collaboration with local communities, placing women artisans at the center of every stage of the process.

Working closely with 63 returnee women artisans, the project is rooted in a shared design process based on exchange, listening, and making together. Inspired by Burundian weaving traditions and cultural heritage, new pieces were developed that bring together ancestral knowledge and contemporary design.

Each basket carries more than form and function. It embodies resilience shaped by lived experience, the richness of Burundian culture, and a collective vision for the future. Through craftsmanship, the project creates a bridge between tradition and modern living, where cultural identity remains present and evolving.

Guided by designer Emmanuel Babled, the collections grow directly from the artisans’ techniques, their artistry, and the environment that surrounds them. Design emerges through collaboration rather than direction, allowing each piece to reflect the individuality of the women who bring it to life.

The Burundi Project reflects WomenCraft’s belief that design goes beyond aesthetics. It is a dialogue between heritage and contemporary life, where craftsmanship becomes a means of empowerment, continuity, and cultural expression.