When my perspective on life changed forever…

After escaping the gunfire, child soldiers on drugs, brutal killings in Liberia, we landed in Kenya where I thought my family was finally safe, protected from the harsh realities of war.

But there was one last wound to the heart. Hearing the news of Elizabeth’s death during childbirth was the hit that took the last breath out of my soul. Elizabeth was a close friend. We were mothers of kindred spirit, whom I said goodbye to in Liberia as we all fled to safety. Elizabeth did what any mother would do during war time –  get her children to safety while trying to find food and shelter along the way.  Elizabeth thought  she was finally safe when they reached a refugee camp in Ivory Coast only to face death as a foreigner in another country due to lack of medical care.

This is when my perspective on life changed forever.  There is never a pause for women living in the midst of the injustices of war.  Women all over the world have had to move and act in strength and courage in life threatening situations even when weakness and vulnerability overwhelms them.

30 years ago Amani was established to walk alongside women, mothers and sisters, many of them refugees, on this difficult journey, when life has been marred by injustices and abuse.  Amani came into existence to give women an opportunity to rebuild their lives, pass on skills and values for a better future for their children.   Amani is simply about humanity and finding God and the peace He gives.

Amani’s humble beginnings were in a garage in Kenya which has now sprawled to a 5-story building where skills training, production, ministry and friendship all take place under one roof.  A product line that started with a single placemat has now grown to hundreds of products shipped from Amani ya Juu Kenya to our beautiful Amani Chattanooga Center where they are distributed around the world. 

It has been my privilege over these 30 years to see the impact Amani has had on hundreds, even thousands of women and children.  To hear them laugh again, sing with joy, regain health, learn to stitch and find meaningful faith with a peace that transforms through the power of Christ, has been life-giving.

As we reflect on all that God has done through Amani over the last 30 years, we look to the future and the possibilities of growth that lie ahead. Our goal in the next 5 years is to triple sales and production, tripling the impact of Christ’s peace on the women in Africa as His power of peace and transformation reverberates from their hearts to ours.

Yes, this is a big goal but we have learned over the years that it is important to dream because our God is big. The best news is that God has provided a new Executive Director, Andrea Kaufmann, for the Amani Foundation, to take Amani into this new era of growth.  Andrea comes with a wealth of experience.  Not only does she have the skill set, expertise, and capacity to do this job but she has a passion for transformational change and embraces the very essence of the Amani ethos.

Andrea will be directing the  Amani Foundation and Amani Chattanooga Center growth and operations. Strong Amani centers in the US and Africa are essential to us achieving our dream, to celebrate Peace Made Present in a wholistic and sustainable way. 

Andrea is God’s gift to Amani at such a time as this.  We look forward to what God will do through Andrea as God uses her to expand the influence and impact of Amani ya Juu, Peace from Above, around the world in the months and years ahead.

As we always do at Amani, we join hands and come around Andrea to lift her up in  prayer and support of such a sacred endeavor.  Amani is a Kingdom treasure that He has entrusted to all of us. Through dedicated stewardship of this Treasure, God has and will continue to carry Amani and her story of His transforming peace for generations to come.

In grace and peace,

Becky

Founder, Amani ya Juu

FAQ 

Becky

Will you still be involved with Amani? 

I am still the CEO/Director of Amani ya Juu and will continue to play an active role in the success of Amani ya Juu in Africa.  

What will be your involvement with Amani Foundation?  

I will continue to serve on the Amani Foundation Board along with 8 other professional board members who genuinely care about Amani.  

What are your plans for the development of Amani ya Juu Kenya? 

We are positioning her for the future, to reach the goal of tripling the impact, by adding 2 more floors to the production center.

What are your future plans? 

As long as I am healthy, I will keep doing what I love doing, working with the beautiful women of Amani while navigating the changes and growth at the Amani African centers.

Andrea

What is your part in God’s transformational work at Amani?

I’m blessed with the opportunity to steward the Amani Foundation at a pivotal time in the life of the organization.  I’m committed to uphold the deep value and roots of Amani, while also growing the organization through both sales and donor investment.  I’ll work closely with Becky, the Vaughns and the Board to build systems that allow us to both deepen and broaden our impact. We will also be leveraging Amani’s assets locally in Chattanooga, continuing to use our beautiful space and organisational capacity to “make peace present” as we strengthen connections in the thriving nonprofit ecosystem.  

What is your background and how has it prepared you for your new role at Amani? 

I have worked for Christian international humanitarian and development for more than two decades, serving in a wide range of roles including program design and management, marketing & communications, coalition-building, external engagement and technical and executive leadership. I’m eager to steward my experience and gifts in ways that promote the deep values of peace, sustainability and beauty embodied so well in Amani’s work.

What was your first encounter with Amani?  

I first encountered Amani in Kigali, Rwanda, almost 20 years ago when I was traveling for work. A colleague took me to the shop where I purchased an apron our family still uses today–a reflection of the high quality, sustainable products! When our family moved to Chattanooga several years ago, finding Amani’s US hub just up the street felt like a hug from the neighborhood, an assurance that I would find community and purpose in my own backyard!

What is your vision for Amani? 

My hope is for Amani’s impact to go both deeper and broader, with each center (and potentially additional centers!) leaning into our unique call to “make peace present” as we follow Christ’s call in our particular location and role. In 2026, our 30th Anniversary, I am so excited to listen to, learn from and celebrate the tremendous ways God has worked over the last 30 years as we discern and plan to deepen impact in the future.