Grocery Bags Handmade by Women in Kenya
Handmade from African fabric and cement bags.
Handcrafted With Love
Stylish, Sustainable, & Globally Inspired
Make a statement with every purchase!
Shopping with these grocery bags is a win-win! Cut down on plastic to protect the environment, empower young tailors, and share the story of Neema in everyday life.
Neema bags are made of upcycled, locally-sourced cement sacking and fully lined with colorful kitenge fabric. (They’re reversible!) Matching handles allow you to carry your bag over your shoulder with ease. A small interior pocket makes your keys easy to find, while a leather patch on the exterior elevates the bag while connecting it to the young woman who made it.
Neema bags are available in two sizes. The small size is perfect for your wallet, water bottle, and a book. The large size easily carries anything you need, from your laptop, lunchbag, and gym shoes for a full day out to a load of groceries.
Each item is handcrafted with love by third-year students at our Neema Shop & Training Center in Kitale, Kenya. Students earn commission for their work, contributing towards the purchase of a sewing machine she will use to launch her own micro-business upon graduation.
Meet the Seamstresses
Introducing our third-year students and alumni who handcraft these reusable grocery bags.
IRINE
FLORENCE
SARAH
FAITH
ELIZABETH
LINAH
SHARON
DINAH
ALICE
ANN
PRISCILLAH
DINNAH
PURITY
DORCAS
Winnie’s Story
Winnie is the last born in a family of six children. Her mother passed away when Winnie was still young, and her father abandoned the family. She attended school until 9th grade but had to drop out after the death of her mother because she was living in extreme material poverty. Like many vulnerable young women in rural Kenya, she became pregnant. But Winnie soon heard about Neema. There, she spent time in counseling and processing the grief of her past. She also built close friendships, grew spiritually, and passed her national exams in dressmaking!
