Yakanaka revealed

 

by Deborah Miarkowska

EcoChic has been working alongside Yakanaka for a while now and we are delighted to interview the Founder Katie.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your business..

I am Katy Maxwell, soon to be 40 (!), mother of three boys - Oliver, Henry and Jonathan, and wife to James - how’s that for brief ? I am also a founder member (along with my mother-in -law, Celeste and sister-in-law, Lucy) of a fair trade business that manufactures and distributes its own brand of fair trade jewellery and accessories. Our producer workshops started in Harare in 2005 and we now have a second workshop in KwazuluNatal, South Africa. In both projects we work with local women and follow strict IFAT principles in how we operate. As the distributor, I am a BAFTS recognised importer, and our Harare project is (literally) about to receive an IFAT accreditation (yay!) - in 2010, South Africa will also eligible to apply for accreditation.

 

Our jewellery is designed to be well priced, fun, fashionable and to appeal to both the fair-trade and main stream market place. We work with a variety of materials and offer a customised design service for larger customers. Wherever possible we try to open up new markets to local communities, artisans and producers in both Zim and South Africa - an important element of being a fair trade producer.

One of our greatest achievements has been (other than managing to export from Zimbabwe in the last 4 years!) the establishment of a charitable foundation (The Yakanaka Foundation) in Guruve, NE Zimbabwe. Through the support of our customers and their own communities, we run a daily feeding programme for 170 children, operate and run a very basic primary first aid clinic and support a local bush primary school (by providing the teachers with regular food packs amongst other things). This was not a chosen objective of Yakanaka, but one that has evolved through the need on the ground, the determination of those running the Foundation and the goodwill and support from our customers.

What or who inspires you?

I am inspired by many people on many different levels - what is the saying…something about inspiration and perspiration combined…….

I am inspired by the intelligence and determination of women like Cherie Blair and Hilary Clinton - their energy and tenacity remind me of what can be achieved regardless of how high the standards are that you set yourself. I am also inspired and humbled by the number of people I meet through Yakanaka who have changed the way they live their lives on a daily basis to help and assist with development in the Third World. People who take the theory and the nice dinner party conversation and turn it into reality - who have changed their values to suit their morality - that’s amazing!
And, if I can sneak one more person in - Ellen MacArthur - I thought she was both the toughest and bravest woman I had ever come across - challenging herself day and night, physically, mentally…in every way…..

What do you enjoy most about running your own business?I enjoy the freedom it gives me to pursue a business that I think is worthwhile, in a manner that I can fit around my family, and in a way that allows me to determine its successes (and failures). It’s exciting, energising and interesting……..I meet great people and the vast majority of businesses that we interact with are run by like- minded people - that’s also very refreshing. The Fair Trade community in the UK that I have come across to date really does seem to be like a big family.

 

What is the most challenging part?

Of course - the books, the accounts, the late nights on spreadsheets, managing a hectic children’s holiday schedule and a diary of meetings….. There was a big moment about year in to our project when I realised that regardless of our “principles” and fair trade ambitions, Yakanaka had to work commercially as a business, with all the stresses and strains, cash flow statements and exchange rate risks that any business covering three countries would have to deal with. I have been in recovery ever since!

Why have you chosen to run your business in an ethical and Fair Trade way?

Yakanaka set out to demonstrate that a product made in Zimbabwe could compete with products made elsewhere in the world. That commercial stories from Africa didn’t have to be negative and that if the product was competitive in terms of quality and price, mainstream retailers would find it hard to resist. It didn’t occur to us to run it in any other way - in fact, when we read the IFAT principles we were delighted at how we had set ourselves up in line with them….

I strongly feel that if commercial retailers offer their customers the option of choosing whether to buy an ethically produced product (even at a slightly higher price) the majority would say yes! Its not the general public who need educating…….

EcoChic have a longstanding working realtionship with Yakanaka which we are delighted with. The image above our Ritz bracelet highlights one of our EcoChic exclusives designed and handmade in South Africa by the Yakanaka beading ladies, which we will bring you stories a little later. For further details please go to: http://www.ecochiccollection.co.uk/product/ritz_bracelet/

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