Jenny and Jenne at the USOW 2018 Summit in Los Angeles CA
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Together, we unleash a woman’s greatness through empowerment, opportunity + community.
- philosophy -
Imani Collective is a community of dreamers + shakers who aren’t afraid to ask “why not?” Passionately pursuing a holistic approach to empowerment, we believe that once we realize what we’re made of, we can own what we’re made for. Convinced that we aren’t just better together — we’re our best together.
- roots -
Jenny Nuccio was new to Mtepeni Village, Kenya. She came fresh out of university with a vision to create meaningful employment and opportunities for the women there. But right now, she was having a hard enough time just fetching her own water. Sorely regretting not being more thankful for the stuff straight out of the faucet, she wheelbarrowed thirty pounds of water everyday back from the well.
An embarrassing method to be pitifully executing as the village women looked on — effortlessly carrying water in basins on their head.
They didn’t let her struggle for long, though. Through broken English and Swahili, they awkwardly laughed their way into deep friendship and mutual partnership. They taught her how to cook over an open fire, how to wash her clothes, and of course, how to carry her water like a local. In return, Jenny taught them how to sew.
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“Trust me,” she said.
“We’re going to build something beautiful.”
And they did.
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It started with sixteen women. Sixteen women looking for a better way to provide for their families. Sixteen women who believed they were worth more than the saturated fruit selling street markets. Sixteen women intrigued enough by Jenny’s vision to stick by her side and grow together.
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The Imani Collective now employs over fifty Kenyan men + women in Mtepeni Village and Mombasa, along with half a dozen women stateside.