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In Africa, WIEGO conducted policy research and mapping of home-based workers in South Africa, Kenya and Egypt in 2012-13 as part of an initiative aimed at Strengthening Home-Based Workers. In 2014, working with WIEGO’s Global Trade Programme and its Fair Trade project partners, WIEGO started a dialogue together with home-based workers representatives and key allies from the three African countries in Nairobi, Kenya.
Activities continue in the region to strengthen communications and sharing of experiences among organizations. On 17-21 March, 2019, 42 participants from home-based workers’ organizations in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia and South Africa gathered at the Savelberg Retreat Centre in Nairobi for the Kenya National HBW Workshop and the HBW Africa Regional Meeting. During the meeting, discussions centered around the registration of a national network of Kenyan Home-Based Workers, and building and strengthening of HBW organizations from the countries represented (Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania and South Africa) and in Africa.
In Kenya, plans towards the formalization of the Home Based Workers Network-Kenya has seen the interim registration of the network, development and approval of a constitution and currently the identification of an interim leadership team. The Working Group will be holding a leadership Training that will amongst others plan for the Launch of the HBWs Network.
In Uganda nineteen organizations are organized around the five regions of Kampala city.
In Ethiopia home-based workers’ organizing is supported by Women in Self Employment (WISE).
http://wise.org.et/?fbclid=IwAR1SQjKbxLofM6bEl0YRMS9VjByVCPZyaTxbTClXzUz90hdjRwGL2Xg-tVA
In Kenya, the HBWs representatives spread across 6 cluster regions and organized as self-help groups, cooperatives and producer organizations found in the commercial crafts, textile and Garment Sectors; specialization inherent on raw materials and traditional skills. Over the years, the different HBWs groups have been working together towards increasing organization and formalizing in a national network.
On 10 December 2020, Home Based Workers Network-Kenya officially launched in Nakuru, Kenya.
Read more:
https://www.homenetinternational.org/event/home-based-workers-in-kenya-are-organizing-for-recognition-rights
HomeNet Kenya Launch Statement
Elizabeth Nzilani
Machakos Cooperative Union
Email: [email protected]
Jemimah Nyakongo
Rachuonyo Women Group
Email: [email protected]
In South Africa the South African Self-Employed Women’s Association (SASEWA) was founded in 2009 in KwaZulu Natal when there was a need for informal workers such as street vendors and homed-based workers to have their rights represented. The organization has six active branches of cooperatives engaged mainly in traditional beadwork. Home-based workers in Cape Town are organized in an emerging network of textile and craft producing cooperatives.
Thandiwe Xulu,
SASEWA
Email: [email protected]
Emily Milanzi,
Empire Cooperative
Cape Town Cluster
Email: [email protected]h
In Tanzania self-help groups are organizing from Dar Es Salaam.
Rebecca Nyaluke,
UWAKE
Email: [email protected]
In Uganda, nineteen organizations are organized around the five regions of Kampala city.
Betty Lunkuse,
Envirojewels
Email: [email protected]
Lillian Semigga,
Uganda Crafts 200
Email: [email protected]
Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda
