Our website makes use of cookies. To find out more please read our privacy policy

Close Menu

Neema Crafts

Neema is transforming the lives of people with disabilities in Tanzania through employment and training in a variety of handicrafts. We provide dignity and hope for over 120 people who previously relied on street begging or were hidden away at home. Negative stereotypes held locally about people with disabilities are also being transformed. We use eco-friendly materials including sustainable teak, glass, recycled paper and elephant poo! 100% of the profit made by selling Neema’s products in the UK goes towards sustaining the enterprise and supporting our housing project which assists our staff to build their own homes.

Neema Crafts showcases the skills and talents of people with hearing impairments and physical disabilities in Tanzania.

Meet Josephat

Josephat works in our paper making department. He was born profoundly deaf and with spina bifida. He grew up living with his extended family as both his parents had both passed away when he was a child. He felt like he was a burden on them as he believed he had no hope of ever earning a wage to support himself. He felt trapped by his situation. When he started work at Neema Crafts however everything changed for him. He started earning a good wage and was able to support himself independently for the first time.

Deaf people give each other shorthand signs instead of spelling out their names each time. His sign name had been ‘hunchback’ because of the curvature of his spine. After a few months at Neema however, the other deaf trainees changed his sign to ‘he is able’, as they recognised how skilled he had become. He is very proud of his new name and says he really enjoys his job, especially teaching new workers how to make paper.