Blog

At Ndara, we believe that each stitch, each handcrafted piece, is more than a product - it's a thread woven with stories of hope, resilience, and dreams. The impact of Ndara goes far beyond craftsmanship. Each Ndara artisan experiences a transformative journey that reaches into the heart of their families, their communities, and beyond. Ndara is not simply a workplace or a source of income; it is a catalyst for life-changing growth. Through their work, they inspire others around them and uplift entire neighborhoods, spreading hope and opportunity across generations.

As you read each of these portraits, you’ll see how the threads of each artisan’s story intertwine with Ndara’s mission: to create a legacy of empowerment and pride for artisans and communities alike.

During each market, we share portraits of our artisans along with their personal stories, revealing how their lives have changed since joining Ndara. Since language barriers prevent many artisans from connecting directly with clients, we’re displaying these stories in our Bangui boutique during our Christmas markets, giving customers a glimpse into the lives and dreams behind each handcrafted piece.

Please take the time to get to know our artisans and see the impact you can have. Your support changes lives and spreads hope.

Introducing Meryse Bagoua

Meryse Bagoua is a creator with nimble hands and a spirit of resilience. Meryse was one of the first artisans to join Ndara in 2017, bringing with her not only skill but an unwavering hope for something more - a way to turn her craft into a legacy that could sustain her family and lift up her community.

Meryse’s story began when she was a young girl, behind her mother’s shoulders. Her fingers itched to mimic the swift, precise movements of her mother's hands as she embroidered, crocheted, and sewed to support their family.

Her mother was stern and sometimes unwilling to teach, so Meryse became her own teacher. She scavenged broken umbrellas to craft a makeshift crochet needle and secretly gathered threads her mother discarded, stitching clothes for her dolls with a determination far larger than the tiny garments. In secret, Meryse would pick up her mother’s embroidery when she was away, silently filling in the unfinished designs, her young hands learning stitch by stitch. Though her siblings warned her that her mother would be angry, her mother began to recognize Meryse’s skill and, in time, allowed Meryse to join her in her work.

It was in this quiet but fierce way that Meryse learned her first stitches of resilience. When she heard of Charlotte, the founder of Ndara, she sensed an opportunity to learn, to grow, and to create something truly hers. She sought out Charlotte and joined Ndara in 2017, diving into new techniques - working with pagne fabric in ways she had never imagined. The first product she made was a rug, and to this day, it remains her favorite Ndara product.

During the first years, Ndara did not have a boutique but participated in different Christmas markets. Meryse saw Ndara’s products sold out time and again. Each sale felt like a spark of hope for her dreams. Meryse knew then that Ndara was more than just a workshop; it was a gateway to self-reliance.

Today, as she works in Ndara’s own boutique, she marvels at the myriad of skills it requires—displaying products, managing inventory, and welcoming clients. These are things she once thought only big businesses did, yet here she is, running the shop she helped build. When Ndara opened the boutique three years ago, Meryse was the artisan who delivered the opening speech. For weeks, she practiced the speech in French, and when she stood in front of ambassadors and representatives on the day of the opening, she burst with pride. Not only to show the world the boutique but because she had learned enough French to be able to deliver a speech, something that she could never have imagined.

Meryse’s reason for working so hard is her children. She is the sole breadwinner in her family and is responsible for paying all school fees, food, and medical bills. In 2022, Meryse took a bold step: with her own earnings, she bought land. She invested in her dream of a three-bedroom house, and its foundation is now laid, as steady as Meryse’s ambition. In 2025 Meryse’s goal is to save enough money to start building the walls that will become a safe refuge for her children, a place where Meryse can grow old without relying on anyone else.

As the Christmas season is arriving, Meryse remembers her own childhood Christmas celebrations. Her father would buy the youngest children gifts of toys, and the older children would get new clothes. Her mother would bake cakes for Christmas morning that the family would share after going to church. Today, she is trying to recreate the same thing for her own children.

Looking to 2025, Meryse is determined to grow—not just in her craft but in her academic skills. She’s eager to improve her French, maybe even English, so she can connect more deeply with Ndara’s clients. For now, she uses Google Translate to bridge the gap, though often limited by the nuances of her local French.

Meryse dreams of a future where the artisans of Ndara reach their full potential. Where their skills and creativity influence entire communities around them. She wants her children and the world to learn one of the key lessons she herself learned at Ndara, the value of hard work and attention to detail.

For now, each stitch she sews, each rug she crochets, is more than a piece of art - it’s a thread of hope woven into the fabric of her family, her community, and her dreams.