Shanga & Shanga Foundation, Arusha

I come from a country where people expect the disabled to beg Visiting Shanga was uplifting. I am so happy to see them empowered and working I bought some gifts for friends from the gift shop and knowing the backstory of how they are made makes it more special

Visiting Shanga was a highlight of our holidays. It was really inspiring to see so many people with disabilities being empowered to produce quality art and crafts. The tour is free for everyone, and you see handloom work, glassworks, beadwork, and making paper bags and other accessories. We witnessed how handlooms were set up and operated. I was amazed at the effort it takes to set up the design on the loom. Operating it was quite interesting and needed some deft footwork according to the design expected.We also saw many artists producing intricate bead work, doing tinga tinga paintings and glass decor. However, the best part of the tour was the glassworks section. They have a glass furnace operating on recycled machine oil. We witnessed how the furnace was cleaned and saw the making of a champagne glass, from scratch. It was really impressive. I would encourage anyone visiting Arusha to definitely visit and support these amazing artists doing incredible work. More power to Shanga!