Owners hope shop helps others in homeland

Spokane Valley’s newest ethnic retailers want to become a goodwill link between the Inland Northwest and Africa.

Gambian native Charles Sonko and his wife, Kimberly, opened Hands on Afrika Dec. 3, selling hand-crafted items made specifically for their store by African artisans. Items include batik wall hangings, red oak carvings, beaded necklaces and musical instruments. They also sell purses and sunglasses.

“My dream with this business is to showcase African artwork,” said 30-year-old Charles Sonko, an electrician who immigrated to the United States eight years ago on a student visa. “With this business, I want to support as many kids in my homeland.”

The couple’s goal is to return as much of the proceeds as possible to the African artisans and others in need of food and education. Much of that effort currently is focused on Gambia, an impoverished West African country where many of the store’s artisans live, but the Sonkos hope their help can extend further.

In fact, they’ve already agreed to accept and ship donated clothing and other items from customers who inquire about helping more.

Charles Sonko’s parents still live in Gambia and are in contact with artisans and others in need.

“We have a direct connection there,” said Kimberly Sonko, who tends the store weekdays while her husband works as an electrician at Merit Electric in Spokane. “We can get calls at 3 in the morning from someone in Africa who has heard about what we are doing. We tell them to go to (my mother-in-law).”

The couple met at a music festival in Southern California, and married in 2002, then moved to Spokane Valley about two years ago after a family friend encouraged them to consider living here. They have two small children and said they found the area to be family-friendly during their first visit.

Hands of Afrika – spelled with the traditional “k” – began as a dream of Charles Sonko’s as a way to support his homeland. He says he’s thrilled to see it materialize in Spokane Valley where the couple has found people supportive and interested.

“People want to help,” said Kimberly Sonko, who tells of the many customers who inquire about what more they can do, or of the woman who stopped in one day to talk about the African child she sponsors. “This is a place where people can celebrate their helping.”