A group of 11 bloggers from the United States will be visiting Rwanda in an effort to share the Rwandan true story and encourage the international community to buy Rwandan-made clothing. The tour is organised through a partnership between Noonday Collection, a socially-conscious fashion brand, and International Justice Mission (IJM), a global human rights organisation. Noonday Collection has had a presence in Rwanda since 2011, when the company sponsored 11 Rwandan women to go through sewing school. The women now form the Umucyo co-op, which creates accessories and bags sold on the Noonday Collection website. IJM runs rehabilitation and recovery programmes for victims of sexual assault in Rwanda. “We are on a mission to mobilise women in the US to create opportunity for the world’s most vulnerable by harnessing fashion and design,” explained Jessica Honegger, the founder of Noonday. She added that sharing the Rwandan true story will help give a powerful voice to the voiceless. The trip dubbed ‘Style for Justice’, is scheduled for July 11 to 20. During their time in Rwanda, the women will learn the stories of IJM clients who have been rescued from situations of violence and abuse. They will also be visiting the Umucyo Co-op in Kigali where they will learn about the Noonday artisans and how they design and create products. Throughout, the bloggers will be sharing the Rwandan true story with their followers back in the US, estimated to be about half a million. “This trip is intended to introduce authors to Rwandan women who have overcome injustice and been empowered through economic opportunity,” explained Nicole Schuman, the communications officer with Noonday Collection. “By coming alongside these women and sharing their story, our goal is to raise awareness for the vulnerable and inspire others to get involved,” she added. Schuman said the goal of the trip is to share stories of victims helped by the IJM and encourage readers to contribute to efforts to help vulnerable women and children. In turn, the tour will also encourage buyers in the US to purchase clothing and accessories made by vulnerable women in developing countries, particularly Rwanda. “We hope by raising awareness of the Umucyo sewing group and their products, we shall be able to open new markets for them so that they may become independent and self-sustaining,” explained Schuman.
