OUR STORY

& THE STORY OF HOW IT BEGAN

KISANII MARKET

scroll

Heart-wrenching need. Seemingly inescapable poverty. In 2004 statistics became names and faces when Micah McElveen walked into extreme poverty in Africa. Upon return, he knew he would, “spend life trying to forget what I saw, or doing something about it.” Having faced intense suffering and loss of his own, Micah’s heart burned for the broken.

He began to wrestle with two paths. Should he stay the course he charted for himself or surrender to a path calling for empowering the poorest people on earth? A vision for social, spiritual, and economic transformation emerged. Vapor Ministries came to life. A new walk was born.

Watch "Alive to Live"

Since 2005, Vapor Ministries has been transforming poverty-stricken environments. Small business creation has always been an aspect of the holistic outreach model and eventually gave life to Kisanii Market. Alain Bulambo, a businessman who donated to Vapor Ministries, eventually joined the team with a heart to take the small businesses to another level.

Today, Kisanii Market is empowering and providing a marketplace for artisans living in extremely impoverished communities. We showcase high-end, international handiwork, giving people like you the opportunity to discover exquisite, handcrafted works of ART.

Working within Vapor Ministries’ centers, Kisani Market trains and develops local talent in the art of craftsmanship. Local resources are cultivated to create a “hand-up” poverty alleviation channel that fuels durable, holistic community transformation.

As you purchase the amazing products at Kisanii Market, you are threading a story in human flourishing. The impact is bigger than a single product. Behind every piece is an artisan who now has a space in the global marketplace.

Thank you for joining us in making a difference amongst the underserved!

Visit our blog to catch a glimpse of the amazing impact your purchase is producing.