Reasons to believe.

Trainings on the techniques of making and marketing baskets and decorative beads were organized from 23 to 30 October 2017 at UNFD headquarters and within CASAF. The holding of these meetings, led by two experts from the NGO « Aid to Artisans », was part of the implementation of the project to promote youth employment and crafts (PROPEJA). The target audience was mostly female. The beneficiaries were 70 in number.

35 women followed the modules on basketry. 35 others benefited from modules on decorative beads.

All learners are craftswomen. They are members of women’s associations located in the capital and the 5 regions of the interior. They are far from ignoring the importance of the local craft tradition such as basketry, beading, pottery cooked at low temperatures. Which are an integral part of women’s domestic activities. This craft dominates artisanal production and local trade. Sewing and embroidery have been added to this repertoire through development projects focused on women’s health and education and income generation through crafts.

That’s the whole point of PROPEJA. The project aims to develop the artisanal value chain. And so that the craftswomen and associations can actually make interesting profits by taking into account the relationship between quality and price.

In concrete terms, the challenge is to address the constraints of innovation, development and marketing of existing local and sector-specific products favored by women.

Through this project, 800 beneficiaries, including 210 targeted directly by International NGO and another 300 by peers, will receive training on new product development and marketing techniques.

The objective of PROPEJA is to encourage associations of women artisans to transform themselves into cooperatives on the one hand, and on the other hand to help them acquire sustainable income from the production and sale of handicrafts.

This project is funded by the Japan Fund for Social Development and administered by the World Bank. It is initiated by ADDS under the leadership of the State Secretariat for Social Affairs.