Amani ya Juu

I vowed to make my Christmas shopping this past year as ethical as possible, and pledged to keep more dollars in my neighborhood. Armed with a Scoutmob deal and a long list of gifts to buy, I walked into Amani ya Juu on a Tuesday evening after work (they are closed Sundays and Mondays). The items (dresses, tunics, purses, place mats, table runners, tapestries, jewelry, stationery and more) are gorgeous, handmade and signed by the women who crafted them. It’s special to be able to give someone you love a gift that is also helping lift a woman and her family out of poverty. My gifts were hits with family and friends, and the store employees wrapped them with great care. Overall, a gorgeous shop with an even more beautiful mission – and a worthwhile stop on Mount Pleasant street.

I went back yesterday, ¼/​2012. I still love the establishment, but LADIES (who work in there), you must work on your customer service skills. When I entered the store, no one even said hello. There were 3 people working and I was the ONLY person in the store. Now, I will continue to visit because I appreciate and support, the mission, but I will ALSO address this issue the next time I am there.
SIGNED — Unappreciated Customer

If you’re looking to do a little guilt-​free, fair-​trade shopping, hit up Amani ya Juu. This store is awesome — the products are high quality and hand-​made by women in Africa (original operation in Kenya but has also expanded to centers in Rwanda and Burundi) who, through their work, are given a chance to learn business skills.
Products range from clothing (skirts, dresses, tunics, etc) to accessories (I LOVE the oversize purses — perfect for work, jewelry cases, etc) to household items (napkins, place mats, oven mats). Smaller items for kids and unique jewelry items round out the store.
This is my new go-​to place for gifts for friends and family. Prices are more than reasonable, you can rest assured that your purchase is for a good cause.

This is a great little shop, with wonderful items. The fact that the money goes to a great cause is an added bonus!
I especially love their cloth napkins– I give them all the time as housewarming or hostess gifts and everyone loves them.
They also have some neat jewelry, which has served me well over the years.
Definitely stop by here the next time you are in Mt. P. Amani is a hidden gem!

I stopped in here the other day when I was exploring Mt. Pleasant. I don’t go to the area much but maybe I will more now that I have discovered the cool shops & restaurants like Amani.
Their website describes Amani as «a sewing-​marketing-​training project for marginalized women in Africa.» There is no mention of the store on the website but the store functions to sell the items the women produce at a «more than fair trade» price.
The store has jewelry, kids’ stuffed animals, scarfs, quilts, bags, and many more fabric-​based items. Each item has a tag on it with a handwritten name of the person who made it. Prices were very reasonable and it was cool knowing that my purchase helps people in need.