The handicraft sector of NAWOU provides training in the many aspects of business management, gives technical and resource assistance, and facilitates exports as well as helping with local and international marketing. Artisans receive loans, training, counseling, links to aid agencies, and assistance with medication. NAWOU represents 200 artisans working in 10 workshops or cooperatives. Many of the women producing baskets for NAWOU are infected with HIV/AIDS, and income from basket weaving provides a lifeline of support for them. All crafts are based on traditional skills and products and use natural dyes. NAWOU holds quarterly meetings with its producers, and travels to visit those remote artisan groups that are unable to attend.

Our members are organizations that address the interests and concerns

1. National and Professional NGOs

2. Community based Organizations that form District Networks in various districts of Uganda

3. Associate Members or individuals who provide services or benefit from NAWOU programmes.

Owner and founder Sue states that:

Trails to Bridges is an enterprise started after much prayer and discernment, and a leap of faith.   It started with a request from my pastor to lead a new effort at church, focused on increasing our congregations' "global awareness."   

 At my job (at that time) in the financial services industry, I was starting a new project--to evaluate and select a career assessment tool that would  help the company's employees better understand their strengths and interests, in hopes of better aligning them with appropriate roles.  My own assessment results told me clearly, that God was calling me to take a new path...something that leveraged an eclectic mix of mission, international travel, sales, marketing, ministry and service.  So I left an 18 year career in financial services to start Trails to Bridges.

Six years have passed since then, or as my husband says, "since Sue jumped off a cliff."  We have our challenges as all start up ventures do.  But thanks to you we've grown from beginnings on the kitchen table to an office at home in the basement with inventory in EVERY room of the house and garage, even in the cars, to a new, small and cozy gallery and office.