Professionals Spotlight: Johanna Helin of Mamaa Trade
Nov 6, 2020
Estonian Life No. 45 2020
There's something special about a product that's been made by hand with expertise and dedication. You can tell the difference in the quality of a product that has had thought put into it. Estonians may be especially attuned to this with our textile tradition going back countless generations.
With a whole world of rich craft traditions that many of us have not had the chance to know and enjoy, Mamaa Trade operates as a way to connect the businesses of craftspeople from Ghana, Uganda, Afghanistan, and Syria via e-commerce, as well as in local shops and markets in Ontario. I spoke with the owner, Johanna Helin, to see how it all began:
30 years or so ago, you worked in Africa with your grandfather when he donated water drilling machinery upon his retirement. What happened between this experience and establishing Mamaa Trade that prompted you to sell handcrafted goods when you moved to Canada?
My first trip to Africa was to northern Namibia, Owamboland; a place where Finnish missionaries had been working since 1870. It was an odd experience as the locals knew about Finland and were baptized with Finnish names. That trip sparked a long-lasting love for Africa.
(Read more: Estonian Life No. 44 2020 paber- and PDF/digi)
Written by Vincent Teetsov, Toronto
