Juliet Namujju, Founder & CEO of Kimuli Collections is living her vision – to transform the plastic waste crisis in Africa into an inclusive, eco-fashion label while providing employment opportunities to people with disabilities and youth.
Juliet tells the story of how it all began
“I grew up in poverty as an orphan with my single grandmother in a remote and rural Village in Uganda due to the victimisation of disability caused to my family. My grandmother was a tailor and inspired me as a child to use cut-offs and plastic waste to create something. I would gather from the streets, to produce my own dolls because she could not afford to buy me toys. What others threw away, I started to use as available resources. To create something.
“This changed my mind-set towards waste and I started to see the value in protecting the environment. I started to see what others threw away as a resource. The off-cuts were being thrown away or burnt and I couldn’t bear to see this waste and the impact it was having on the environment. At the age of 20, I and my team founded Kimuli Collections as a sustainable fashion brand to fight for the conservation of the environment and inclusion of persons with disabilities.
“Our products are hand- made by our tailors with disabilities, whom we train and employ to creatively upcycle plastic waste into fashion for beautiful products with a purpose for awareness about the under-looked global plastic waste crisis.”
“Waste is only waste if you waste it.”
At the age of five, Juliet’s parents suffered a life-changing car accident, which sadly took her mother’s life and left her father severely disabled and consequently unemployed. Speaking fondly of her father, Juliet says: “It was so sad – first he lost his wife, then his legs, then his job. Discrimination against the disabled in our country is a huge problem. My father was seen as a curse and abandoned as a result of the incident he experienced with my mother.”
Sadly, Juliet’s father passed away when she was seven, leaving her orphaned. She was takenin by her grandmother who lived in remote Uganda and was a highly skilled tailor. It was here that Juliet learned her sewing skills.
With the funds from sewing, she was able to fund her high school education and take a short course in Fashion and Design
In 2017, with the joint motivation to tackle environmental waste and improve the lives of people with disabilities, Juliet founded her fashion label. “I wanted to fight for the conservation of the environment and inclusion of persons with disabilities.” Juliet and her team train tailors living with disabilities to craft everything from raincoats made from sugar sacks to hand-woven sun hats and processing cement bags to make laptop bags, shopping bags and backpacks.
“It’s sad that the youth are left fighting for the rights of people with disabilities, but we want to change this mindset in my country. Disabled people shouldn’t be seen as a curse, and I wanted to offer these individuals the opportunity to work. I saw what happened first-hand with my father losing his job, and I wanted to break this trend for good.”
In the few years since its creation, Kimuli Collections has trained 96 tailors, upcycled 40,000 kilograms of plastic waste into 15,000 garments, and sold products in 15 stores with multiple large partners. Currently, Juliet Namujju is selling her fashion globally and is a leading light in the eco-fashion world.
Scrolling through Social Media, Juliet came across some key programmes which supportedher journey: Because International (for entrepreneurs who have product-focused ideas and businesses in under-served areas) and AdamStart (an international platform providingfunding, mentorship and training to young entrepreneurs).
Looking ahead, Juliet outlines her future plans:
“I hope to develop and execute sales and marketing plans and establish a dedicated training centre by 2025.
“I would like to join strong networks for support, get funding from investors and donors to grow my brand. I hope to change people’s mindsets and make up-cycled fashion in Africa a household item. I wish to learn and share with other stakeholders, mentors, fellows, change makers, entrepreneurs, innovators and Commonwealth experts. I wish to enhance my entrepreneurial skills and gain knowledge on how to build strong business management systems and scaling up.”
Juliet’s many Awards & Accolades include…
