Azizi Life

Azizi Life offers its visitors a unique opportunity to connect and get insights to the life of Rwanda and their families, through a big range of different cultural experiences. Visitors will not only see the beauty of daily life but also experience it.

Significance of Azizi Life 

Azizi Life was founded in 2008 under the international NGO Food for the hungry. It has become a bridge to connect the hardworking artisans to the global market. 

Additionally, it has helped increase sales in Rwanda offering products to US customers, Washington, and a lot of national tourists.

Azizi Life partners with more than 30 independent groups with a total of over 500 artisan partners.  Rising from the horrors of genocide, artisans from all backgrounds have come together to connect once again through their craft. 

A unique point is that each artisan cooperative has a speciality in hand crafting products using specific techniques and raw materials.  Azizi Life is blessed with all these women and men, collaborating to connect makers, designers, and customers around the world. 

Art Work & Handicrafts 

Their handcrafted products include a large variety like woven bowls with a lot of magnificent colors and shapes, beautiful candles in all shapes, a collection of beautiful baskets and trays in all shapes and colors, a lot of fashionable bags and purses, jewelry and accessories for women, home decorations and Christmas gifts.

Why to Visit  Azizi Life 

Some of the tourists say that it is one day in the life experience, to live the life of the locals and blend in with their lovely hospitality. It is a step towards the local life of Rwanda. 

It is an experience for all your senses to enjoy all of the smells and tastes of nature. Besides, it is an excellent chance to relax and clear your mind for a couple of days. 

Shop for souvenirs as the experience will be worth remembering every moment of it.

Things to Do in Azizi Life

1- Spend a Day with the Artisans

Spending a day with the Artisans is a great experience. This is a chance to join with the artisans in their village all day. From morning family chores, a local home cooked lunch, to the craft learning in the afternoon, tourists will have it all. 

2- Traditional Pottery

Get back to the old methods of making pots and plates before introducing the modern ones. 

The experience will start by going out to the fields to gather the materials used in the production. Afterwards, you will complete the experience by cleaning, preparing and moulding the clay. 

3- Local Coffee Experience

This is an opportunity to learn how coffee is picked, washed, roasted and ground by hand. You will get off to the fields to check the coffee plants and turn them into a beautiful cup of Rwandan Coffee.

4- Cow Dung Art Experience (Imigongo)

The idea dates back to years ago when a prince of Rwanda decided to decorate his house  by carving geometric shapes directly into the wall of his hut. 

After this, the technique was developed to a popular form of art in Rwanda with the name “Imigongo.” You will get to learn the history and the technique. Besides, you will make your own piece of art and take it with you. 

5- Traditional Construction

Learn some techniques in constructing buildings in Rwanda. Start the day in the mornings, where you will collect the water and soil. You will then live the experience of turning this into bricks.   

Continue by digging the foundations and know how to organize the bricks in a way to ensure the building will be strong-based. 

Then, head with everyone to have a simple home-cooked meal with your host family. 

6- Cooking Day

The day does not begin in the kitchen, but in the fields. You will learn seasonal planting or harvesting of fresh ingredients for your meal.

Once the ingredients are collected, you will begin with the food preparation from washing, peeling to pounding, and grinding with traditional tools and ways. 

7- Dancing & Drumming

Dancing and drumming are entertaining. With expert instructors, you will have the opportunity to learn the traditional drumming and dancing of Rwanda. 

The Azizi Life Musical Experience initiates with a performance from a small troupe of traditional performers.

Afterwards, you will put on a traditional costume and live the experience. It is a new experience to be taught some basic dance steps and share a bit of the history of Rwandan dance.

8- Home Stay

Participate in the life of a rural artisan and her family. All the hostesses live in homes that are made of mud brick, usually having a few smaller bedrooms for the family with one larger front room for receiving visitors. 

There is an outdoor kitchen, enclosed pit latrine and bathing outhouse, animal stalls and family workspace in the area behind the house.