Videos of Handicrafts in Chiapas, Mexico

Chiapas Tourism Video:


Good video of weaving in Chiapas:


Weaver really gives her all to the loom!


Wood carvers in Chiapas (Spanish):


Carver making a mask:


Stone Carver working on Mayan pieces:


Microcredit program helping women weavers:

Bridge for Africa- Online Store

BRIDGE FOR AFRICA IS...

The idea for BRIDGE FOR AFRICA was born in 2003 when a Zimbabwean and an American met in South Africa and exchanged ideas from the two continents. This exchange sparked the idea that establishing a partnership between Africa and the U.S could be a winning combination to promote the dignity of work and self-sufficiency in Africa. Our director on the ground in Africa began to search for underprivileged artisan communities, establishing relationships with the various groups, and communicating ideas and product samples to the U.S. BRIDGE FOR AFRICA’s U.S branch focuses on marketing, distribution, education and channeling feedback on product development to Africa. Through this partnership, BRIDGE FOR AFRICA has realized the incredible potential for marking a difference in African artisan communities, by harnessing the outstanding artistic talent of African artisans to create marketable products for sale in the U.S.

At BRIDGE FOR AFRICA, our U.S and African partners collaborate in Building Resources to Inspire Dignity, Growth, and Empowerment. We currently work with artisans in Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, Kenya, Zambia, Rwanda and Uganda to design, produce, and market high quality handmade products. The proceeds from the sales of these products benefit the artisans and their communities, with at least 50% of the product price paid to the artisans groups, and the remainder of the proceeds reinvested in community development, job creation, and training initiatives.

In Her Hands: Craftswomen Changing the World

In Her Hands: Craftswomen Changing the World

Product Description
All over the world, women in developing economies improve the lives of their families by creating and selling exquisite, indigenous crafts. The Ndebele beaders of South Africa, the weavers of Guatemala, the flower painters of Poland, the dollmakers of Turkey, the mirror embroiderers of India, the batik artists of Indonesia contribute to the future of their cultures. In Her Hands: Craftswomen Changing the World is a beautifully photographed documentary of ninety women in twelve countries on four continents, revealing their diverse lives and surprisingly universal aspirations.

Often driven by the harsh realities of poverty, little education, and even a lack of basic health care, female artisans are motivated by the desire to provide for their children: to dress them properly, to feed them well, and, most of all, to educate them. The need for social contact and a sense of community brings craftswomen together into small groups, which in turn gives rise to new micro-enterprises in developing countries. Many political and social organizations, including the United Nations, provide guidance and economic support, most often in the form of very small, short-term loans; thus cooperatives are created that strengthen and enrich their cultural heritage as well as individual lives and fortunes. Authors Paola Gianturco and Toby Tuttle have spent five years photographing, interviewing, and writing about craftswomen for this amazing collection.

The artisans' individual voices are featured throughout the book as the authors describe their encounters with the craftswomen; amusing, affecting journal entries relate the authors' own experiences and reflections. In Her Hands celebrates a different kind of women's movement where sisters, grandmothers, and friends join together to create beautiful crafts that contribute to a better life for themselves, their families, and for future generations.