Mariama Daouda Illiassou
Zamany Accessories
Founded in 2017 by Ms Daouda Mariama, Zamany Accessories is a leather goods brand born from a rich cultural heritage, rooted in Niger and influenced by the various countries where its founder grew up. This blend fuels her imagination and gives each Zamany piece a unique identity, combining authenticity with modernity. Zamany stands out through its use of noble, ancestral local materials such as doum palm (Congou), millet stalk (Sourdjindi), rattan, leather, woven cloth, the Agadez cross, and many other elements that embody the country’s cultural richness.
Mariama Daouda Illiassou
Zamany Accessories
Location: Niamey, Niger
The Zamany Innovation
Zamany’s approach embraces economic, ecological and social values. Each creation reflects a subtle balance between tradition and innovation, giving life to refined and contemporary pieces. The brand carries a strong social mission: the empowerment of rural women. Before opening its two workshops, Zamany trained and integrated women into the production chain, providing them with a sustainable and regular source of income. In seven years, the company has generated a significant number of direct and indirect jobs, involving rural craftswomen, leatherworkers, shop staff, administrative personnel and more.
Zamany Accessories has received a grant of €10,000 (ten thousand euros) from the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) through the Knowledge for Great Green Wall Action (K4GGWA) programme, funded by the European Union. This grant will help implement the next phase of the project, which will include the following initiatives:
- Opening a new basketwork and leather goods production workshop;
- Diversifying production channels in the sub-region;
- Expanding within the sub-region;
- Providing working capital.
