Manos Amigas Artisan Story
Peru

Aptec Peru is an artisan collective located near Lima, Peru. The organization is a community of 16 family workshops that employs about 140 individuals from low-income areas. The extensive skills of the artisans are seen through the range of products they create, including ceramics, jewelry, textiles, stained glass and woodwork. Besides helping preserve a culture rich in tradition, the collective helps artisan producers better design and create high quality crafts, enjoy increased sales and earn a steady income.

Their mission

Manos Amigas donates 20% of its profits to education and other social programs and helps youth living in Peru’s remote highlands continue their education through scholarships and financial assistance. The remaining 80% of the Manos Amigas’ profit goes directly to the artisan, most often as a 50-70% advance with the balance paid upon delivery and quality control. This wage is far above the national standard and helps Shipibo villagers improve their standard of living and provide for the future.

Artesanias Peru – Esperanza and Raquel Artisan Story

Cochas Chico and Coches Grande, twin farming villages nestled in the Andean mountains of Huancayo Peru, are home to a rich tradition of gourd carving. It’s also home to Esperanza Palomino and Raquel Sabastian Rojas, two women who have established small fair-trade businesses to help create new jobs for the artisans in their village. Besides creating new jobs for artisans aged ten to sixty, both women manage work distribution from the main office to give priority to the families with the greatest need.

Peruvian artisans have practiced the art of gourd-carving for more than 4,500 years, transforming a simple squash into intricately designed bowls, boxes, windchimes, birdhouses, purses, vases and other bits of home decor. The twin villages of Cochas Grande and Cochas Chico, where our artisans Raquel and Esperanza live, work and run gourd-carving workshops to create local jobs, are the center of this ancient art.

Over the centuries, artisans have found unique ways to craft gourd decor, including scratching, fine-line hatching, pyroengraving and carving. Naturally, the details and designs have changed, but contemporary artisans remain inspired by Peru’s rich traditions.

The Process of Gourd Carving

After the gourds are harvested, the artisan removes the outer green skin with a dull knife to expose the lighter brown color underneath. This will become his/her canvas. The gourds are cleaned and dried in the hot Peruvian sun.

After drying, the artisan draws his/her initial design in pencil, then uses a carving tool to remove small pieces of gourd, creating a 3-dimensional version of the original design. Next, the artisan burns the pattern with a glowing ember, usually a feather-shaped piece of Quinual wood that’s been heated over a fire, to establish contrast between the carvings and the gourd. The artisan can vary the intensity of the heat by blowing on the ember; the harder the artist blows, the darker the burn.

Having obtained the color, the artisan washes the gourd to remove the pencil marks and polishes the finished piece with a natural wax. Sometimes, the artisan applies an oil/charcoal mixture to the gourd’s carved surface. The dye adheres any part of the gourd where the outer skin has been removed, yet wipes clean from the gourd’s smooth surfaces. This is why some carved gourds have a black background.

Noah’s Ark-Artisan Story
India

Noah’s Ark was founded by Mr. Samuel Masih in 1986 back before anyone was familiar with the concept of “Fair Trade.” A businessman from Moradabad, India, Masih observed his other business associates were taking a personal commission from the local metalworking artisans, on top of paying them very low wages for their work. This led to a distrustful and exploitative work environment, and inspired Masih to create a more collaborative environment based on trust and mutual respect.

After two difficult years, Samuel explained his objectives to Mrs. Sullivan of Sullivan Florist in the United States, who immediately placed an order for US $70,000. This led to collaborations with other international companies, including Tear Fund, Artisanat-SEL, Goed Werk, TEAM and Oxfam Australia. Today, the company produces a US $1.5 million in exports and funds Noah’s handicrafts and Welfare society, an artisan association created in 2000 to promote artisan welfare, capacity building, childhood education and social work.

THEIR VISION

Be a leader organization in the development and commercialization of peruvian handcraft and satisfy the life standards of their members.

The artisan families that work with Aptec Peru are also invested in the care and maintenance of their natural resources. Their products are made of natural raw materials such as clay, dried gourds, recycled glass and plant dyes. In addition, the artisans take care to harvest all materials in a sustainable manner, to replenish plant life and maintain water quality. As part of the World Day of the Fair Trade project, the artisans crafted porous ceramic pots that were filled with plants and donated them to 400 families in the village of Nuevo Ayacucho, providing clean air for the community.

Aptec Peru’s artisans take great pride in their intricate textiles, beautiful ceramic pots and vases, silver jewelry and creative gourd decorations. In turn, these crafts, and loyal buyers like yourselves, help the artisans create a sustainable income and future.

SIPA – South Indian Producer Association, ARTISAN STORY
INDIA

The South India Producers Association (SIPA) has been engaged with the issues of sustainability, livelihood, women empowerment, and artisan and craft promotion since 1986. It was conceived as a collective initiative for marketing and administering support to about 30 producers and artisan-based organizations across the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry, and Karnataka in the southern part of India.

SIPA’s artisan network spans across Southern India. SIPA works with 30 artisan groups and over 5,000 artisan families that are involved in income generation activities producing crafts. A vast range of products are produced by the 30 groups under SIPA’s umbrella, some of them include palm leaf basketry, decorative candles, natural oils, insence making, kalamkari textile products, wooden toys. All the products are made with locally-sourced natural materials from their respective regions and special care is taken in regards to disposal of waste, so as to keep the environment clean and safe.

SIPA is directly involved throughout all stages of product development including marketing of the crafts. They also provide technical and financial support, assist artisans in capacity building, and provide design support.

SIPA is a member of the World Fair Trade Organization – ‘WFTO’, Asia Fair Trade Forum, and Fair Trade Forum-India. The organization strongly follows the globally accepted fair trade mandates as part of the social commitment to it’s stakeholders – the artisans; thus striving for consumer satisfaction and moving towards providing artisan members with a sustainable livelihood, and positive socioeconomic changes in their lives and communities.

DE COLORES ART- ARTISAN STORY
GUATEMALA

Chichicastenango, Guatemala, has become one of the most important heritage centers in Guatemala during the past 10 years, due to its predominant indigenous Maya Quiche population and their traditional textile products. Yet, despite increased tourism and a renewed interest in traditional Mayan crafts, work opportunities remain few for the indigenous population, many of whom are uneducated and otherwise unemployable.

Enter De Colores Art, a local business that levels the playing field for villagers by offering free training to anyone who demonstrates the initiative to learn a trade. The company employs 30 women and 18 men to knit and embroider textile products, with the option of working at home using materials provided by the company. De Colores recognizes the culture of its Mayan employees, and as such allows flexible hours and gives time off for sowing and harvest days.

De Colores also invests in community education projects by funding two local schools in the neighboring towns of Chujupen y Pachoj, and by providing scholarships to qualifying students. In addition to stimulating the local economy by creating new jobs, De Colores makes a conscious effort to use recycled materials whenever possible. The reason for this is twofold: to preserve Mayan culture, as recycled textiles showcase traditional knitting patterns that aren’t often seen in newer textiles, and to reduce scraps and waste.

Communities collaborate in the production process, as men work on the biggest textiles and women do the embroidery, crochet and macramé seen in smaller pieces. In some cases, in order to be competitive, sewing machines are used to assemble the finished product, although all the components are handmade and hand embroidered from cotton, wool and/or silk.

Aptec Peru Artisan Story
Peru

Aptec Peru is an artisan collective located near Lima, Peru. The organization is a community of 16 family workshops that employs about 140 individuals from low-income areas. The extensive skills of the artisans are seen through the range of products they create, including ceramics, jewelry, textiles, stained glass and woodwork. Besides helping preserve a culture rich in tradition, the collective helps artisan producers better design and create high quality crafts, enjoy increased sales and earn a steady income.

As a member of the International Fair Trade Assocation, APTEC Peru ensures artisans are paid fairly for their work, which creates a sustainable working environment for artisans, their families and communities. Since 2007, AptecPeru is part of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) and the Regional Office for Latin America (WFTO-LA), demonstrating our commitment to social and environmental responsibility in all its processes. Also, we are members of the Fair Trade Movement in Peru that works in the promotion and development of new technology for the environment and nature preservation´s activities.

Their mission

APTEC Peru looks forward to promote and develop Peruvian handcraft aiming to help artisans producers’ life standards and security through a fair trade and better trade conditions. Also looks that the production processes are respectful with the environment and the ecology.

THEIR VISION

Be a leader organization in the development and commercialization of peruvian handcraft and satisfy the life standards of their members.

The artisan families that work with Aptec Peru are also invested in the care and maintenance of their natural resources. Their products are made of natural raw materials such as clay, dried gourds, recycled glass and plant dyes. In addition, the artisans take care to harvest all materials in a sustainable manner, to replenish plant life and maintain water quality. As part of the World Day of the Fair Trade project, the artisans crafted porous ceramic pots that were filled with plants and donated them to 400 families in the village of Nuevo Ayacucho, providing clean air for the community.

Aptec Peru’s artisans take great pride in their intricate textiles, beautiful ceramic pots and vases, silver jewelry and creative gourd decorations. In turn, these crafts, and loyal buyers like yourselves, help the artisans create a sustainable income and future.

GAHAYA LINKS ARTISAN STORY
RWANDA

Handwoven Agaseke baskets are an old tradition from the Rwandan culture. Women have been known to have woven these baskets since ancient times. These baskets were used as grain storage, gifts during family celebrations, and to carry secrets by women.

Gahaya Links was founded by two sisters, Joy Ndunguste and Janet Nkubana, 10 years after the infamous genocide of 1994. From a modest beginning of about 20 women, today the company works with 4000 women weavers who are part of 52 saving cooperatives weaving Agaseke baskets.

The objectives of Gahaya Link as a women’s organization are to create economic opportunities for the people of Rwanda, socio-economic empowerment for the women in the community and inculcate a feeling of unity and oneness amongst the members of the company.

Gahaya Links was incorporated as the first handicraft export company in Rwanda and has partnered with large and small retailers across the United States. These unique hand woven baskets are a signature product exported by Gahaya Links to different parts of the world. The company has won many awards and acclaims for its phenomenal work with the poor and marginalized women from Rwanda.

TWARA- Turkmen Women Active Rights Association, ARTISAN STORY
Afghanistan

The South India Producers Association (SIPA) has been engaged with the issues of sustainability, livelihood, women empowerment, and artisan and craft promotion since 1986. It was conceived as a collective initiative for marketing and administering support to about 30 producers and artisan-based organizations across the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry, and Karnataka in the southern part of India.

SIPA’s artisan network spans across Southern India. SIPA works with 30 artisan groups and over 5,000 artisan families that are involved in income generation activities producing crafts. A vast range of products are produced by the 30 groups under SIPA’s umbrella, some of them include palm leaf basketry, decorative candles, natural oils, insence making, kalamkari textile products, wooden toys. All the products are made with locally-sourced natural materials from their respective regions and special care is taken in regards to disposal of waste, so as to keep the environment clean and safe.

SIPA is directly involved throughout all stages of product development including marketing of the crafts. They also provide technical and financial support, assist artisans in capacity building, and provide design support.

SIPA is a member of the World Fair Trade Organization – ‘WFTO’, Asia Fair Trade Forum, and Fair Trade Forum-India. The organization strongly follows the globally accepted fair trade mandates as part of the social commitment to it’s stakeholders – the artisans; thus striving for consumer satisfaction and moving towards providing artisan members with a sustainable livelihood, and positive socioeconomic changes in their lives and communities.