12:02pm Sunday 24th August 2008
By Louise Robertson
For some African women, living with Aids or disabilities is a life sentence. If the illness itself doesn’t kill them, they are written-off by society and left to suffer a life of poverty and exclusion.
In Uganda, even the Government’s attitude towards Aids can be outdated and cruel, with President Musevini declaring a presidential rival unfit for office in 2001 because he was allegedly infected by the virus.
But one woman is fighting against these injustices from her Walton flat and offering women across Africa, not just a lifeline, but a real chance to succeed.
Ida Horner is originally from Uganda, growing up under the rule of Idi Amin, and she is an incredible but delightfully modest woman. She is also positive proof that one person can make a huge difference.
Combining charity work with business, she has created a company to sell East-African women’s handicrafts so they can lift themselves out of poverty.
She set up Ethnic Supplies in 2007 after a visit to her native country the previous year. The poverty she witnessed prompted her to quit her job with a London council and devote her time to helping the women gain financial independence.
“We now provide support to women in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Madagascar,” said Ida. “It is so important to me that we give more than just handouts because they are not sustainable or dignified. I want to give these women independence and a sense of pride at the fact they can help their families.”
Her flat is like a treasure trove of silk and woven baskets, brought back from her travels and frequent visits to monitor the women’s work.
Even the delicate silk runner laid across her dining table is straight from Africa, although it would not look out of place in a high street store. One woman has her bag stocked in Macys, New York, and Ida is working on duplicating the success across Europe.
She said: “The quality of the work will blow you away. I don’t patronise these women, I view them as partners because they are incredibly strong and doing something I can’t do.”
To ensure the ethical working conditions, Ida makes frequent trips to Africa. She said: “It gets expensive but I can’t see any way round it. How can I sell their goods if I have no idea where they’ve come from? I have to be sure that the work is their own and no child labour has been used, otherwise I’m letting them down.”
The money Ida spends on airfares is something she never would have dreamed of as a young girl. The first 20 years of Ida’s life were dominated by civil war and dictator Idi Amin, with people rounded off the street for no apparent reason.
She said: “The situation in Uganda while I was growing up was awful. It was very similar to the Zimbabwean situation now in that, no matter how well-off you were, there was absolutely nothing to buy in the shops. It really was awful.
“Luckily for me, my home life was always good. My father was a lovely, strong man who wanted me to succeed and education was always important to him. I’m under no illusion that if I was born into a different family, I would have had a totally different life.”
As it is, her life is very full and incredibly rewarding. Aside from helping women in her home continent, without generating any form of income, she also helps women around Surrey to get their business dreams off the ground.
Surrey Women’s Enterprise was set up with Ida’s help, allowing women in the county to share their business ideas in a supportive environment.
A Shepperton lady recently came to her for help with a community project in Uganda that needed promotion. “I wasn’t sure where to go with it but I was more than pleased to help and hopefully she can now really make a difference and help the community generate some income,” said Ida.
“I can’t stand people who talk about doing something but never get round to it. There is never enough time or enough resources, you need to just do it.
“In many ways I’m my own success story but I want others to taste success too. Some people’s circumstances are so desperate that you just want to throw money at them but that is not the answer. Like they say, teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.”
To view examples of the work Ida sells, or read her blog entries, visit ethnicsupplies.co.uk.
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