The Journey of a card from Africa

Last week I ventured out to a card making enterprise on the outskirts of Kigali, for the second time, and on this occasion I actually found it! It is in a place so far out of the city that cows graze the grass at the side of the road and trees and flowers abound. Cards from Africa is a social enterprise business set up to provide teens and young adult orphans with skills and a good wage to support their families. When we arrived we were given a tour of the workshop by a young man who worked there. And so what follows is a photographic journey of a card from Africa.

Step 1: Make the paper pulp from recycled office paper. This is the messy part!

Step 2: Press the pulp into sheets and try to get the moisture out.

Step 3. Put the sheets out to dry on a board.

Step 4. When the sheets are dry, dye them different colours and leave them to dry in the sun.



Step 5: Store the paper carefully until you need it.

Step 6: Measure, cut and fold the paper so it is ready for card making.

Step 7: Carefully make the cards using scissor and glue. Each worker is responsible for one card design and they have a templete to follow.

Step 8. Put the cards out for sale in the shop or send them for distribution to supermarkets and hotel in Rwanda or for selling abroad. This is a belated mother's day card for my mum. Happy mother's day mum! xxx