KHAMA founder Elaine Burke studied womenswear at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin, Ireland before moving to London in 2001. Her first job was designing ranges of hats, where she was able to work directly with makers on the factory floor, a close relationship which in turn fed back into her designs.

From here, Elaine worked as a designer and consultant for a number of independent brands and then working with high street clients. Much of this work saw her detached from the actual making, though that changed when she began to work closely with one main supplier in Calcutta, India. Getting back to more hands-on design development was again an inspiring experience.

During this time, Elaine also became involved with Fairtrade projects in India, and artisans in Kibera, one of Africa’s largest slums in Nairobi, and Kenya. This led her to begin seeking out a project of her own, which would draw on her experience of working direct with makers and challenge the traditional perception of ethically made products. Travelling to Malawi with Khama partner charity MicroEnterprise Africa, she met a sewing group in Kasungu, who now form the core of the company’s team.