Our impact

Skills, structure and sustainable income

Each piece is a story of resilience, healing and transformation. Behind it are people who learned a craft, earned from it and rebuilt their confidence along the way. These photographs were taken at our training sessions, with the artisans' consent.

1,200+individuals trained
7,000+lives impacted
28+institutions supported
USD 1.8M+paid to artisans

A photo essay

Where the work happens

Training groups meet in day centres, under trees, in courtyards and in correctional facilities. The craft is the same everywhere: a chart, a needle, colour-coded thread and time.

Six women in orange sweaters and striped dresses seated in a yard at Lang'ata Women's Prison, stitching one floral canvas spread between them, two of them smiling at the camera. — Artisans at Lang'ata Women's Prison stitch one large panel together in the yard after their daily chores. Several of their stories are on the Stories page.

A close view of hands pulling a needle through a canvas printed with a floral chart, red and pink blossom already stitched. — Guided stitching: every square of the chart tells the artisan which colour goes where.

Three smiling women hold up a finished cross-stitch panel of two cheetahs resting in dry grass, a brick wall behind them. — A finished panel of two cheetahs, held up by the three women who stitched it together.

A group of women under an open shed hold a long cross-stitch panel of an avenue of golden trees stretched between them. — The golden avenue, a three-month piece stitched by three women. Lucy tells its story in her own words.

A woman in a blue floral top seated indoors, trimming thread with scissors on the canvas in her lap. — A day-centre artisan finishes a row. Most of our day-centre groups are women living with disability.

A wide view of a red-brick day centre veranda where a small group sits at a table with an orange cloth, one woman in a wheelchair. — A day-centre training group at work on a veranda. Groups meet weekly; pieces go home between sessions.

Two women, one in a wheelchair, bend over a printed cross-stitch chart together. — Reading the chart together before the first stitch goes in.

A woman seated on a mat holds up a finished floral cross stitch of roses in a vase, smiling. — A finished floral piece, held up by the woman who stitched it. Each piece is paid for on completion.

A group of women seated in the shade of trees weaving palm strips into baskets. — Beyond cross stitch: a coastal basketry group weaving in the shade.

Two women in bright dresses look at a stitched piece laid on a table, a wall of framed floral cross-stitch works behind them. — The finished work in context: an exhibition of framed pieces, where collectors meet the craft.

A short film

From chart to finished canvas

Twenty-nine seconds, no sound: the printed chart, the stitching, and a finished elephant canvas held up at home. Filmed with the artisan at her compound.

Silent, 29 seconds, 2.4 MB.

The challenge

Exclusion has many causes

Many vulnerable groups, including women in correctional facilities and persons living with disabilities, face:

Limited access to income opportunities
A lack of practical skills
Social and economic exclusion
Barriers to reintegration into society
Unequal access to skills and income

People recovering from drug and substance abuse often face stigma, a lack of structured support and a high risk of relapse because opportunities are few.

Our solution

Skills, structure and income pathways

Skills training: Cross stitch and indigenous crafts training.
Income generation: Structured production with market access.
Mentorship: Personal development and coaching.
Youth empowerment: Creative Studio programmes for children and youth.

The communities we serve

Equal opportunity to learn, earn and grow

We provide opportunities for both women and men, and create inclusive spaces where women and men access equal opportunities, youth are nurtured regardless of background, persons with disabilities are empowered and individuals in recovery are supported without stigma.

Women
Men
Youth
Persons living with disabilities
Individuals recovering from drug and substance abuse

Training groups have met in women's correctional facilities, in day centres for persons living with disabilities, in rehabilitation centres and in community groups from Narok to the coast.

Read their stories

Three women seated on a mat, two in headscarves, laughing together over the canvases in their laps. — Stitching together on a mat at Lang'ata.

A young woman in a patterned dress threads seed beads at a table set with bowls of coloured beads. — Beadwork at a day centre.

Rehabilitation through craft

A pathway to healing and purpose

We support people recovering from drug and substance abuse through structured, skill-based engagement. Through cross stitch:

Participants regain focus and discipline
Creative work supports mental wellness
Income restores independence
Confidence and self-worth are rebuilt

Creative Studio

A youth programme for the next generation

The Creative Studio gives children and youth a safe, engaging place to create. Participants learn cross stitch, beadwork and crochet, develop practical skills, build confidence through public speaking and stay positively engaged during school holidays.

Ask about the Creative Studio

Partner with us

Partnerships that scale the work

Partnerships support training, market access and scalability. We work with public institutions, schools and youth groups, NGOs and development agencies, hotels, lodges and restaurants, corporate offices, embassies and partner galleries.

Become a partner Acquire a piece