Caroline Gibbs has recently opened a pop up shop, Asili Afrika, in Lakes Entrance, offering unique and beautiful products handcrafted in Africa.
In 2018/19, Caroline, who is originally from Zimbabwe, and her husband, Wayne, travelled throughout Africa through agribusiness and started seeing the handcrafted creativity of local artisans on their travels.
“In 2019 we left money with weavers and asked them to make as much as they can, not really knowing how it would turn out,” Caroline said.
When they went back with a truck they were amazed at the quality and quantity of woven pieces that had been made and so began a relationship with these artisans from many African countries.
“When we arrived back in Australia with wares COVID also arrived, but in 2023 we attended the gift and homewares fair with all our wares and this was successful, allowing access to stockists across Australia.
“Our aim is to make a consistent market and work with artisans in Kenya, Malawi and Zimbabwe. No one else is doing this in Australia as we go directly to the weavers, so there is no middleman.”
Caroline and Wayne saw that the wares were too good not to share from these enterprising, hardworking people and aimed to create a bigger, more consistent market for their products; one which rewards their talents beyond the unpredictable passing tourist trade.
“The weaver’s product is Sisal, it is fire retardant and from one of the most sustainable plants around. Many of the dyes are made from vegetation, tree roots and bark. Where synthetic dyes have been used, they are sustainably sourced,” Caroline said.
“We believe that in providing a market we can also make a difference to the lives of the artisans and their standard of living.
We source our products from different
groups including women’s groups, an orphanage for children born with HIV, and remote villages.”
The Lakes Entrance shop is located in the arcade at 239 Esplanade and packed full of beautiful woven products, every kind of basket you can imagine, mats, storage chests, plant holders, as well as the most exquisite handcrafted Chief Chairs carved out of blackwood and coming from a remote part of Malawi.
They are also stocking some other local products including Samantha Abbott Glass Jewellery, Snowy River Biltong and Mama Duck Tallow.
Caroline invites all to browse these affordable products. At the moment the shop is open from Wednesday through to Sunday.
