Our Work
Our story.
When Laurie Dejong was sitting at Central Command at New York Fashion Week in 2008 and 2009, she started to think about the power of the fashion platform.
She saw proud women walking the runways, brilliant designers bringing their imaginations into reality, and an abundance of money flooding in. She thought about the impact this kind of economic and creative boost could have in the developing world. That’s when she first envisioned the Paper Fig Foundation.
Laurie went on to mentor women in Rwanda and Afghanistan, helping them believe in themselves as entrepreneurs and creative forces. Through these mentorships, her connections expanded, especially in East Africa.
She helped launch the first-ever Kigali Fashion Week, then went on to do the same in Uganda. She and her team have also helped grow the platforms in both Ghana and Nigeria. The infusion of capital boosted their economies, while the exposure helped connect countless people to work opportunities.
The Paper Fig Foundation continues to evolve, and has focused its work in recent years on grassroots development, building a sewing school and a health center in rural Uganda, teaching at-risk women how to be financially independent. Come with us on a journey of empowerment.
