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THE LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF
FAIR TRADE HANDCRAFT PROJECT
Fair trade crafts preserve culture and livelihoods
In the shade of an acacia tree, a cluster of Kenyan women work busily, weaving baskets from sisal plant fibers. Their children are learning in a nearby schoolhouse. The school fees are paid by the money the mothers make from selling their baskets.
Mary Masika, a widowed mother of seven, learned to weave sisal baskets from her mother. Now her weaving group is a part of the Machakos District Cooperative Union (MDCU), a union of artisan groups that market their products through the LWR Handcraft Project.
“The earnings from the baskets have helped me meet my daily needs and to educate my children. I’ve never been let down by MDCU,” said Mary. If not able to sell her baskets through MDCU, Mary would have to rely solely on farming which would not generate enough income for her family.
Down the road, a workshop is alive with the sounds of wood being chopped, carved and sanded into works of art, a cultural tradition passed down from father to son. With the money they make from their carved giraffes, candlestick holders and bookends, the men feed their families, improve the local schools and build new health clinics.
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Musyoka, a young woodcarver, had to drop out of school because his family didn’t have any money for school fees and basic needs.
“I don’t know what I would do without this work,” he said. Being able to sell his work through fair trade now helps Musyoka meet his daily needs.
Like Mary and Musyoka, many artisans in developing countries are able to earn a better wage and have better working conditions by selling their crafts through A Greater Gift, LWR’s partner in the LWR Handcraft Project.
Questions? Email fairtrade@lwr.org to learn more.
