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Behind every hand made product is an individual, a person. Here you will be able to read about the organisations who support the producers with their work by promoting a fairer way of doing business.

 
 VIVA AFRICA (meaning Celebrate Africa), Nakuru in Kenya
 

Viva Africa was formed by Viva Bedi to give employment opportunities to the needy in her local community.  Her particular concern is for the hearing impaired and dumb men and ladies in Nakuru and over the last 18 months over 25 people have gained meaningful employment with VA and two separate student groups from the local Deaf and Dumb School have participated in training sessions.

 
 

This is the August 08 training group at Viva Africa (with yours truly).

 

Viva Africa specialises in using the traditional East African kikoi fabric.  The fabric is 100% cotton grown in East Africa (Tanzania, Uganda or Kenya).  The raw cotton is then turned into material which is dyed into vibrant colours and used for wraps, tablewear and clothing.

 
 edun LIVE - suppliers of African made T-shirts
 

When you buy a t-shirt from One Colour you will almost certainly find "made in Uganda (or Lesotho)" screenprinted in to the neck.  So why do we think it's so important to buy t-shirts made in Africa?

   

In 1980 the continent of Africa accounted for 6% of world trade.  This figure dropped to less than 2% by 2002. Africans could earn an additional $70 billion in exports each year if its trade share increased by just one percentage point.  Read on to find out other great reasons to wear African made.

The facilities edun LIVE use are located in countries such as Mauritius, Lesotho, Tanzania, Uganda and more. These factories are held to very high environmental and social standards, and are audited by their third-party monitoring organization Verite.

Whenever possible organic cotton is used and edun LIVE constantly encourages and supports their farmers and other partners in the local communities to learn organic production. They partner with the Wildlife Conversation Society to form the Conservation Cotton Initiative, which aims to improve the livelihoods of African communities by investing in sustainably harvested "conservation cotton."

edun LIVE are committed and working to ensure that every individual involved in the production chain benefits from the purchase of each edun LIVE tee and that everyone from the farmer to the factory worker is given fair pay for his or her contribution.

 

TARANGO IN BANGLADESH

 
Tarango is a Bangladeshi women's development organisation.  One of the main projects Tarango is engaged in is their handicrafts programme which aims to assist highly disadvantaged semi and non-literate women from rural areas.  Using fair trade principles, Tarango helps to market products whilst ensuring the women receive a fair wage.
 
   

One of their most popular items is the large tote, made from recycled cement bags (pictured left).  The women involved in the project are given training and assistance in quality control so that each bag is made to a consistent standard.

Through the fair trade process the Tarango women are given the opportunity to earn a living and so improve their socio-economic situation.

For more on Tarango, go to their website:  www.tarango-bd.org

 

 KIBERA CARD PROJECT, NAIROBI IN KENYA

The Kibera Card Project was started when a medical missionary, Dr Max Collison, after setting up low-cost medical clinics in the Kibera slum, wanted to provide more than just medical assistance to those living there.

The Kibera slum area is home to tens of thousands, has no paved streets, no running water to the homes, no toilets, or if there are they are shared with 100 other people, no garbage collection, no proper drains and no electricity.  Most of the homes are built from corrugated iron as big as one of our bedrooms.  Into this desperate situation came a ray of light.

With th

This card was hand made by Mary Anwuor of Kiberapaper

e help of local banks, who donated shredded paper, and the Archbishop of Sydney's Overseas Relief Aid Fund, a small card making business started, employing nine ladies in need of assistance.  The paper for the cards is hand made and then decorated by the various members of the group.

The cards are now sold in Australia and England and 29 people are employed by the project.  The ladies have a small bank account which helps them care for their relatives, many who have been orphaned by the AIDS virus.

The Kibera project has been fortunate so far and has been able to keep going amidst the turmoil in Kenya, and for this we are thankful.

 

 SINIK'ITHEMBA "Give Us Hope", South Africa

Sinik'ithemba is a Christian organisation based at McCord's Hospital in Durban.  It is involved in providing assistance through medical and palliative care, counselling and skills training for those living with HIV/AIDS.

Within the well-equipped sewing room women can learn to sew and enjoy the friendship of other women.  There is also a large bead and wire work co-operative operating from Sinik'ithemba where men and women can use their skills to generate an income to support their families.

 
                      
 

HILLCREST AIDS CENTRE near the Valley of Thousand Hills, South Africa

Hillcrest Aids Centre, formed 17 years ago, is home to Woza Moya, an income generating business faciliating the sale of craftwork made by those living with HIV/AIDS.  Woza Moya has a large range of exquisite beaded jewellery and ornaments as well as some very fine wire work.  The Centre is a place to meet, to work and to receive training in sewing, beading and market gardening.  

Hillcrest also reaches out into its community by providing palliative care to those who are in need and a retail outlet for the craft that is made.

The work from Hillcrest is now sold all around the world.

 

At right:  On site shop at Hillcrest

                                               

 

     
     

CIAP (Central Inter-regional Artisans of Peru)

CIAP is a non-profit association comprised of handcraft producing groups in different regions in Peru.  Its main objectives are to defend and preserve the cultural identity of the Andes and Amazon regions, promote the organisations of artisans and to bring about improvement in the living conditions of the artisans, their families and communities.  CIAP is a member of IFAT (International Association for Alternative Trade).

  
     
 

HEED (Health, Education and Economic Development)

HEED Handicrafts is a project of HEED Bangladesh, a Christian non-governmental and non-profit national organisation formed in 1974 by National Christian Leaders and several Western Partner Organisations.

It is a Fair Trade Organization with the aim of creating jobs and employment for the poor and marginalised people, using locally available environment-friendly resources. Its activities operate for the purpose of improving socio-economic condition of the producers/Artisans and their associated communities. HEED Handicrafts provides training and education to improve the producers’ skill in making products for the overseas market. HEED Handicrafts activities operate as a sustainable self financed project and they are a member of IFAT.

     

Thai Craft (The Art of Self Reliance)

Thai Craft is an independent fair trade company marketing quality handicrafts made by village groups of artisans in all parts of Thailand.  Profits generated from the business are used to provide capacity building training and offer financial benefits to artisans in all parts of Thailand.  Their objectives are to generate fair income for village artisans, to help keep alive the diverse craft traditions of Thailand and to promote and practice trade fair principals.  Thai Craft is a member of IFAT.

     

Corr The Jute Works

Corr the Jute Works was established in 1973 with the objective of providing work and an income for the poor rural women. At present the Jute Works is assisting over 7000 women in sixteen districts of Bangladesh. The Jute Works is a self supporting, non- profit organization which benefits the rural women. With the opportunity to make craft and have markets for the craft, the women are empowered and have an income to help supplement the family income.

  
     

 

YWCA

In 1973, The YWCA, Dhaka opened a jute craft centre. The aim was to provide training and job opportunities for women, especially those who are uneducated and destitute. Today about 450 ladies attend the centre and the goal is to establish craft centres in other parts of Bangladesh.

The ladies at the centre make a diverse range of colourful items by hand sewing cotton poplin onto jute material. There is a room at the Centre where the ladies finish the products by sewing them up on treadle sewing machines. The YWCA provides additional services to the wormen including literacy training, a compulsory 10% saving scheme, subsidised daily snacks, health and nutritional advice, subsidised medicines, interest free loans, legal advice and an annual recreational programme.

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