🧠 Team Reflection Summary — Pixel

When we started, we assumed the main problem was simply selling products online. We thought visibility was a technical issue — build a website, upload photos, and sales would follow.

After spending time with women weavers in Merkato, we realized the problem runs deeper.

What we encountered was a combination of invisibility and mistrust. Many women create high-quality garments, but buyers cannot tell who the real makers are. At the same time, the women themselves are hesitant to enter digital spaces because they fear scams, rejection, or being ignored.

We were struck by how structural barriers — high stall rent, gender norms, and reliance on middlemen — shape everyday decisions. Even skilled artisans hesitate to grow because one bad month can undo years of work.

This shifted our thinking. We stopped focusing only on “an online shop” and began asking harder questions:

• How can a weaver be seen without paying for a stall?
• How can buyers trust the story behind a product?
• How can income become more predictable without increasing risk?

For us, technology is not about replacing tradition. It is about amplifying it — giving women a verified digital presence, reducing dependency on intermediaries, and allowing craftsmanship to speak for itself.

Our core insight is that economic empowerment begins with being seen and trusted. Without that, skill alone is not enough.