Cards from Africa Recycling Cardboard into Greeting Cards Presented by: Peter J. Chandonait, Director of Environmental Compliance and Safety, PMI AIRS Project 7th MIM Conference, Dakar, Senegal April 20, 2018

Introduction PMI AIRS Rwanda has performed indoor residual spraying in Rwanda since 2012 Insecticide comes in cardboard cartons as secondary packaging Boxes are not contaminated Space is at a premium in Rwanda, land-filling not a good option AIRS needed to find a more ecological method of disposal

Introduction, cont. Cards from Africa needed low-cost raw material for card stock. Just lost major source of raw material Viability of the business in doubt PMI AIRS Rwanda agreed to provide boxes to the business free of charge PMI credited with saving the business

Cards from Africa Unique business. Hand-made greeting cards at competitive prices Fair compensation to workers (orphans who are head-of-household). Teaches entrepreneurial, management, and practical business skills to staff. Fosters self-worth Products are widely available (US, EU, Web)

Cards from Africa 2004 - three employees 2018 - 90 employees Jean De Dieu Bukuru, Manager and contact Each employee works there for five years Workforce is gender-balanced Employees learn marketable skills Constant flow of skilled workers enter the marketplace

Cards from Africa Each card starts as scrap paper that is recycled into new handmade papers. All of the card makers lost their parents to either genocide or disease.

Card Samples

Donations from PMI AIRS Period # cartons 2013 463 2014 2,973 2015 3,305 2016 14,385 2017 15,216

Cards from Africa Cards from Africa video

Visit the Web site http://cardsfromafrica.com

Thank you!