Getting Crafty with Mirembe Community College

[Guest]

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[cpbailey]

The Mirembe Community College fundraiser is done, and it was hugely successful.  It can fund two stations at the graduates beauty salon, giving about 10 girls a chance to practice skills and earn a living until saving money for a business or getting hired.  Then funds became available to provide for a catering company which will allow graduates of the cooking school to work!  There will be starter success packages for the next 7 graduates to start businesses, too!  The next project I was hoping would happen was the craft export project.  There is a projected surplus of about $4,000 which could go toward this...

Here is a list of things made in the past...baskets, mats , paintings, mottos, beadings, bags, table mats, chair backs, key holders, shoes, hats, money purse.  What do you think looks promising?  What crafts are popular in your region?

Colette

[cpbailey]

Would cloth gift bags be something people would buy?  It saves the hassle of wrapping gifts, especially after flying to visit for holidays.  Think party theme, holiday theme and African print options...

Colette

[Diane R]

I love to buy crafts from international artisans. In addition to buying items through Ahkun (which have the added plus of being made by Kiva borrowers), I've been a regular customer of Novica.  Of the sorts of items you've mentioned, Colette, I've bought and/or would be interested in purchasing baskets, mats, beaded items, table mats, and possibly some of the others (depending what they look like).  And I'll buy even more of the beaded items if we're talking about jewelry.   

I'd have to think about cloth gift-wrap bags, not sure I'd use them.  If they were constructed so they could have another use afterwards, such as for groceries or laundry, that might make it a more intriguing idea for me.  (Sort of a present-inside-a-present.)


--Diane.

[nuc]

in no particular order, some ideas and additions from what I've seen in fair trade or other shops:

candles.
silver/metal earrings, rings, bracelets, ... I guess any kind of jewelry.
artisan products for apartment decoration.
carvings.

[Skimmis]

Chess set, decorative AND playable.

[ulrike]

  If you wonder like me how traditional ugandan crafts look like, you can get an idea here:

  http://www.ugandacrafts2000ltd.org/purse.html

  And as for cloth gift bags and other objects an important item will be the fabrics available in Uganda.

  I made a quick trip to Kampala and came back with this photo

   


 Do you fancy any particular item with any particular fabric?

  I quite fancy the birds on the brown (?) fabric on the left side of the head of the lady, but no idea for which type of object.  Has somebody a proposal?

[cpbailey]

Here is one example of gift bags.  http://www.livingethos.com/?gclid=CJy09v-8rqkCFQE2gwodaFhlMg

Colette

[Amy-in-PHX]

Would cloth gift bags be something people would buy?  It saves the hassle of wrapping gifts, especially after flying to visit for holidays.  Think party theme, holiday theme and African print options...

Colette

Gift bags are a great idea, IMO, especially for those of us who travel for the holidays often.  You have to leave gifts unwrapped in case the TSA wants to inspect your luggage.  If you had some gift bags along, you could put the gifts into them after your flight, more simply and quickly than using paper and tape at your destination.  But I'm not a "marketing" expert and have no idea whether other people would buy these.  (They do have a downside, in that your gift recipient is likely to view the gift bag as part of the gift - so that person will get the benefits of re-using the bag, instead of the person who purchased it.)  If you Google "paperless gift wrap" you can see how many people there are doing this, and what they charge for their products.  I love the ones at www.livingethos.com - though I think she could have chosen a better web address.  It's not very memorable, for me.


Table runners, placemats and cloth napkins are the other crafts I see often, on sites selling crafts made abroad.  They would need to know what are "standard" sizes of these for the US and other markets.

I have bought jewelry through Novica, but that needs some excellent photography skills to show well on a website, if it's silver or metal.  Beaded items might work.

Macys has been selling baskets and table linens from Rwanda for some few years now.  Stiff competition, but perhaps Mirembe CC can do their crafts for lower prices.

[ulrike]

 I really like the offer on Livingethos. Perhaps an  option would by to contact   Josie Gaillard and to discuss with her if she thinks to add "african style bags" could be interesting taking into account her experience and if  yes,  it might even be possible to  integrate Mirembe gift bags  in her site, or  to sell them by living ethos to her clients. Since she is an ethic person she might be interested to join the Mirembe adventure.

Amy, I don't know if it's really a downside that the giftbag will be seen as a second gift: makes two gifts in one, makes gift bags more popular and is good for the planet.
Just thought that there is another advantage for giftbags when you travel: It's dificult to have nice paper available when you arrive, since the paper might get wrinkled in the suitcase. giftbags will better support journeys.  Here in France I have never seen or heard of gift bags. I personally love christmas paper but might perhaps take the option to replace part of the paper by gift bags if I found lovely ones and not too expensive.

[cpbailey]

Things are moving along with MCC and the craft project!  Florence has sent some pictures for review, and the potential partner organization has seen them.  There are some solid products ready for some closer review. 

The potential partner is Ahkun!  Ahkun.org has some fabulous products made by Kiva entrepreneurs, so it is a great fit for Mirembe Community College which is a former Kiva borrower (well, Florence is the borrower on behalf of MCC).  Anh-Thu, a co-founder of Ahkun, has graciously spoken with me on a couple occasions to map out a plan for the craft project.  Currently we are trying to get sample products to NY for that up close review.  Although there is a lot of work left to make sure that we have the right products with the right materials in the right colors at a price that works for all involved, it is a real inspiration to SEE the products.

If you live in NY, you might be interested in a collaborative fashion event to check out the kramas that a Kiva entrepreneur from Cambodia has made.  http://blog.ahkun.org/?p=1  I am a tactile shopper, so I wish I could be there!

I hope everyone is happy with the progress of getting Florence's women access to new markets for their products.  Ahn-Thu and I will post as we have news or something that KFers can help with.

Stay tuned for more updates...

Colette