The women of Rubuguri are leaders in everyday ways—preserving culture, supporting one another, and creating opportunity through skill, song, and shared strength.
Rubuguri consists of 16 villages, with a network of women woven throughout each one who gather, create, and hold their community together in often unseen ways.
I met two groups of these women, collectives that meet once a week to weave baskets. They gather under trees, bringing materials and something even more valuable: their presence.
As they weave, they chat and share stories about their families, their struggles, and their small victories. They laugh. And they sing, always. The rhythm of their hands matches the rhythm of their voices, each woman contributing to a melody passed down through generations.
These gatherings are about more than just producing goods to sell at the market, although that income is substantial. They’re about solidarity. In a place where women shoulder so much, these weekly meetings offer something rare: a space to breathe, to be heard, and to remember they are not alone.
And when the work is finished, they don’t just pack up and leave. They sing. They dance. It’s spontaneous and joyful, a celebration that naturally comes from women who’ve spent hours creating and supporting each other.
These women are the backbone of Rubuguri. They are mothers, farmers, entrepreneurs, caregivers, and culture-keepers. They weave baskets that tourists will buy, and more importantly, they weave the social fabric that keeps their villages united.
The women of Rubuguri don’t wait for someone to rescue them. They help each other, one basket, one song, and one gathering at a time.
