On the 4th June a total of 8 volunteers from Elewana Head Office, Elewana Arusha Coffee Lodge and SkySafari Tanzania spent the day working with Shanga team members at the ever popular Trader’s Walk at Arusha Coffee Lodge. All volunteers arrived in time to join Shanga's early morning exercise routine. They then spent the day helping chopping wood to fit into the bead furnace; dismantling, cleaning and returning the ‘Shanga bottle tree’; sorting and cleaning piles of waste or excess smashed glass for reuse in the furnace. After a well-earned lunch with the Shanga team they continued helping with various everyday Shanga activities.

Everyone enjoyed themselves and the Shanga team were delighted to have the extra helpers and expressed feeling a sense of appreciation and value. The volunteers have requested a repeat and  that they learned so much about the abilities of the Shanga staff despite the challenges of their physical disabilities and it brought them closer as a team.

Shanga’s purpose-built, open workshop is located in the grounds of Elewana Arusha Coffee Lodge and is a wonderful experience for visitors to meet the inspirational staff, to view and participate in the creative process behind Shanga products.

Shanga is a successful social enterprise which employs people with disabilities to create unique, high quality and handmade jewelry, glassware and homewares, incorporating recycled materials into many of our products. Shanga products are sold in Tanzania and around the world, with all profits being reinvested back into the development of new products; researching and implementing additional recycling methods into our activities.