African Home, based in Cape Town, South Africa, works to empower economically disadvantaged artisans in the country. African Home was established in March 2002 by two South African women who were impressed with the high standard of crafts and concerned about the high rate of unemployment in South Africa. They started African Home in order to open access to worldwide markets for economically disadvantaged craftspeople in South Africa, thus creating more employment. The organization plays a significant role in supporting small one and two-person craft groups to expand and enables them to take on larger orders. African Home supports fair trade principles, and aims to expand craft markets for South African artisans in an ethical and humane manner, paying fair prices and with concern for the environment. Ten Thousand Villages began purchasing from African Home in 2008.