Esther Gathambo, originally hailing from Kenya and now calling New Zealand home, is a social entrepreneur and businesswoman driven by a powerful mission. In 2020 Esther founded Sawubona, a social enterprise dedicated to empowering African artisans, promoting fair trade and sustainability practices, and nurturing a sense of community and shared experiences.
In this conversation, we delve into Esther’s upbringing in Kenya, exploring the enduring impacts of colonialism and her insights into the transformative potential of business. We learn the inspiring story behind Sawubona and how Esther’s venture is actively improving the lives of artisans and communities while forging meaningful connections between Africa and New Zealand.
In this episode, we discuss:

• Esther’s background and experience growing up in Kenya
• The power of education, and being the first in her family to attend university
• The colonisation of Kenya and consequent impacts on communities
• Loss of cultural and community identity and intergenerational trauma
• The exploitative nature of capitalism
• Ethical and sustainability issues in business supply chains
• The story of Sawubona
• The benefits of supporting social enterprises
• Ethical considerations as a consumer
• The importance of protecting cultural art

To view all the links to the websites and documents, visit the show notes on our website.
Please support our work and enable us to deliver more content by buying us a coffee or becoming a member of Athletes for Nature.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Bluesky, subscribe to this podcast, and share this episode with your friends and family.