Khenifra Treasures –Beads of Trust and Hope

Our business is so much more then accessories, it’s about the stories and the people behind our handmade products. This week on the Mushmina blog we bring you the story of a dynamic group of artisans that Katie and I have worked with for almost ten years. These ladies continue to amaze me! Read on for the secret ingredient that makes The Khenifra Women’s Cooperative so successful. xo Heather

Khenifra Treasures –Beads of Trust and Hope

Surrounded on all sides by the majestic Atlas Mountains in Northern-Central Morocco, is the inconspicuous, sleepy town of Khenifra.

This rugged community, however, has a force within its soul that perhaps sets it apart from other Moroccan rural settings. That power, is fueled by a small, ingenious group of women with two goals-to provide for their families and trust and respect each other. This flourishing mantra is behind the thriving success of their unique women’s cooperative.

The idea all began on a whim in 2009 when a savvy and determined Peace Corps Volunteer, Linda Zahava, took note of the unusual and interesting embroidery and button-making talent of the local women in the village where she had been assigned to do her work as a small business development volunteer.

These women were skilled button makers of the traditional Moroccan ‘djellaba’, the long, beautifully flowing gown that both women and men wear for all sorts of occasions in this incredibly diverse country. The women were accustomed to working independently from home; creating and producing beautiful buttons for sale.

The concept, however, of working together as an association towards a group goal was entirely new. Most of the women were uneducated. Running a successful co-op and business would be challenging as the majority of the association members, to this day, only hold a primary school education.

Linda had a revelation when she saw these gorgeously intricate, detailed colored beads. Why not make them into unique, vibrantly colored necklaces? Little did she know that this idea would take off and become what it has today.

How did this incredible collaboration begin with the button makers, the prolific Peace Corps Volunteer and the fab Mushmina sisters? How did it evolve into a thriving, internationally successful women’s co-op?  And how is it possible that after so many years, this connection is still going strong?

It was a perfect storm, of sorts-Heather and Katie were seeking a Peace Corps-led focus group for product development in which they could invest and explore at the start of their small but mighty Mushmina story in 2009.

In true Mushmina fashion, Katie and Heather trekked down a rural backroad to Khenifra to meet at Linda’s modest house and in true Moroccan fashion, over tea and local bread, they placed a hopeful order (with Katie’s trusted color palate). It was a match meant to be.

The cooperative’s first meetings were chaotic; a mishmash of disorganized, yet enthusiastic pandemonium. In fact, at the very first meeting, over 100 women showed up and Latifa, who is president of the association today, had to stand on a table and shout to get everyone’s attention.

Slowly but surely, the group gathered momentum in establishing and maintaining its goals. Linda guided the group in electing and explaining the roles officers, managing a business and creating a thriving product.

The trust, however, was something that could not be taught.

Faith in each other is what makes this group special and a commitment to one another and their goal is what has continued to help the co-op prosper over the years.

There have been roadblocks, one might say, in this quest for collaboration. Imagine trying to run a business with 17 people. All whom have vastly different ideas? When the sparse women’s center in Khenifra was suddenly closed where the group faithfully held their Sunday co-op meetings, Heather, Linda and the ladies would meet at a café rooftop overlooking the outline of the pink-hued town of Khenifra. Not holding a meeting was not an option.

There has always been an inventiveness and freshness to this co-op of talented artisans that is both ingenious and unmatched. And all those tremendously varying ideas? They would turn into enormously clever results. In fact, the Khenifra ladies and Katie continue to dream up imaginative and visionary new pieces all the time. With buttons.

The Khenifra co-op has successfully traveled several times for trade shows in the United States. They have necklace orders flying off their shelves. In fact, they even have back orders.

Almost 10 years later, this co-op is still going strong. These relationships are still thriving. These professional alliances are still persevering. The beautiful beaded necklaces, ever-changing and evolving, are still hugely successful. These women are still empowered and providing for their families. These friendships are still blooming. And all because of some tiny buttons, a hopeful idea, a great deal of trust and a tremendous amount of talent and hard work.

By Tara Fraiture, Mushmina blogger

Shop the Khenifra collection on www.mushmina.com.

This summer we are also bringing back the popular ‘Khenifra Cluster Bead Necklace’; a fabulous chunky, labor-intensive chocker-style piece full of handmade buttons. We’re always adding innovative, cool ideas to our collections and we’ve included metal beads (rock on!) as well as a new variety of vibrant colors to these fave necklaces.