Our Story

Discover the story behind Chayah on our 'Our Story' page. From our founding to our partnership with artisans in Zanzibar and Namibia, learn how we were born from the desire to sell unique, handmade products that make a difference. We share our inspiration, challenges and successes and invite you to be part of our journey.

How Chayah Came to Be

Chayah began in 2023 as a simple school project for Nienke. During her first year of Business Administration at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, she was tasked with writing a business plan for a final assignment. What started as an academic challenge quickly grew into something much larger. Chayah found a place in her heart, and a clear vision emerged: a company that not only sells products but also changes lives.

When it was time to choose a minor in her third year, the decision was easy: minor in Entrepreneurship. This provided Nienke the opportunity to turn Chayah into a reality. At the beginning of the minor, she met Olivier. They soon discovered that they shared the same passion for doing something about poverty and making a difference together. From that moment on, the journey of Chayah truly began to take shape.

Challenges and Milestones

The journey to establish Chayah was not without its challenges. As students with limited resources, we had to learn how to turn our dream into a functioning business. We faced obstacles such as finding the right suppliers and balancing our studies with running a start-up. However, each challenge strengthened our belief in our mission. It was during these moments of growth that we truly realized how strong our drive was to change lives.

A significant turning point in our story was the collaboration with Oyetu, an organization that supports artisans in Namibia. This partnership provided us the opportunity to bring the beautiful, handmade products of talented women to Europe. It confirmed for us that Chayah is more than just a business; it is a way to improve lives and appreciate their hard work.

How We Move Forward

Although Chayah started as a school project, it has now evolved into much more. The idea that once existed only on paper is now becoming a reality. And this is just the beginning. Our dream is to develop Chayah into an international platform that supports artisans in various developing countries, from Africa to South America and Asia. We aim to continue empowering lives by providing opportunities to those who need them the most.

What began as a project born out of passion has now become a mission. With the support of our partners and customers, we look forward to a future where we can change even more lives. At Chayah, you don’t just buy a product; you empower a life.

Our Co-Founders

  • Nienke van Asselt

    Hi! It’s great to have you here. And it's super nice that you're taking the time to get to know us. My name is Nienke, and as the story goes, Chayah started as a school project. But my passion began even earlier. Everyone knows that question: Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I was in my final year of high school, preparing for my upcoming studies in interior design when I was asked that question for my yearbook. My answer? Building houses, schools, and water wells in Africa. Once I started my studies, I kept reflecting on that answer. Why am I doing this program if it’s not at all where I see myself in 10 years? It was quite a process, but after nearly 7 years, here I am now. I may not be building houses, schools, or water wells, but I’ve had the opportunity in those 7 years to learn how to help people in developing countries in a lasting way. You might know the saying: You can go fishing for that person, or you can teach that person to fish. In my eyes, that’s what Chayah stands for. Those people can already do it; they have the skills and perseverance. They just need the resources and support to make it a reality. As you can tell, I’m very passionate, as this section was supposed to be about me, but now it’s about the company. Anyway! That’s how Chayah came to be for me, but that passion comes from God. I’ve been fortunate enough to grow up with the Christian faith. The core values of that faith are values that I live by as well. You could say that these are also the core values of Chayah. So, that’s me! Nienke, Christian, 23 years old, with a passion for helping people. And with my degree in business administration, I’m involved in all sorts of things, from legal matters to operational issues, marketing, and all the creativity needed to keep a beautiful business running and growing to help as many people as possible and sell as many unique products as possible.

  • Olivier Petit

    With a background in Finance & Control and a passion for sports, including cycling, sailing, and winter sports, I have always been on the lookout for new challenges. During my studies and through my experience organizing winter sports trips and leading sailing camps, I learned how important collaboration and perseverance are. I also gained valuable experience in the purchasing department of the Happitaria pop-up restaurant, which further strengthened my interest in entrepreneurship.

    What drives me the most, however, is my faith and the belief that it is important to do good for others. This forms the core of my commitment to this enterprise. I want to contribute to a better existence for artisans in developing countries by providing them with the means to utilize their skills in a fair way. My goal is to grow our business so that we can support more and more artisans in various developing countries.

    Within the company, I am mainly responsible for the financial side, but I am also committed to marketing and logistics. With my background and experience, I hope to increase the impact of our work and contribute to a better future for everyone.