Our Story

My name is Chimene Bulloram, and my journey to Island Touch begins far from Canada — in my homeland of Mauritius. For many years, I ran a successful lampshade-making business, Chez Choume – Fabrique d’abat-jour, serving both the local market and the hotel industry. Alongside this work, I was deeply involved in women’s associations, mentoring and supporting women who aspired to become entrepreneurs.

Through this commitment, I became part of the Entreprendre au Féminin Océan Indien (EFOI), a regional network that unites women entrepreneurs from Mauritius, Madagascar, the Comoros, and the Seychelles. Supported by the Indian Ocean Commission and other partners, EFOI promotes women’s entrepreneurship, fosters collaboration, and strengthens initiatives in sustainable development, crafts, and agribusiness.

It was through this network that I first traveled to Madagascar. While my focus was to promote my lampshades to the hospitality industry, what truly captured my heart was something unexpected: the colorful raffia handbags crafted by local women artisans. Working with only the most basic tools in modest workshops, these women produced creations full of artistry, resilience, and pride. I saw not just bags, but a story of survival, dignity, and craftsmanship.

In 2004, I immigrated to Canada, and six years later, I began importing small quantities of these handbags to test the market. By 2016, I was able to bring in a larger collection. Since then, we have proudly showcased them every summer at the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market in Waterloo, Ontario. Each sale has been more than a transaction — it has been a bridge connecting Canadian customers to Malagasy artisans, and a small step toward improving the lives of women who face daily struggles in Madagascar.

At Island Touch, our mission is simple yet profound: to share the beauty of handcrafted Malagasy raffia handbags with Canada, while creating opportunities for the women behind them. By supporting their work, we help these artisans sustain their families, preserve their traditions, and move closer to financial independence.

Every purchase tells a story — of a woman in Madagascar who wove her skill and spirit into a bag, of a customer in Canada who chose to support meaningful craft, and of a network of women across the Indian Ocean working together for a better tomorrow.

🌿 Thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we are helping women artisans in Madagascar strive, cope, and thrive.