The women in Kivu dress well. They have an eye for colour and quality that is on display every day of the week and at its best on special days and Sundays.
Their passion for looking good explains why Narcisse has found an opportunity to build a business designing and dying colourful dress fabrics. Just about all dress fabric in Kivu is imported ready-printed from the Middle East, but Narcisse imports plain cloth from Kampala and has a team of fifteen women who tie-dye the cloth in the yard of her business in Mudaka north of Bukavu.
It’s a familiar process the world over, but here it’s done with panache and the finished fabrics are in demand in Mudaka and Bukavu.
Luminosity is supporting the business with a loan and a yoga group in Stockholm have provided a donation that in combination will enable Narcisse to expand her business to meet demand. People like to know the fabric is locally made. More than that they like the distinctive colour and patterns and the feeling that it better represents the energy of Congo.