The Vital Voices Global Women Entrepreneurs in Handcrafts Development Program looks for extraordinary women who have the passion, the commitment, and the ability to positively change the future for their communities. The key objectives of our program are to (i) Improve the economic status of handcraft business women leaders (ii) Develop these leaders into better business women and (ii) Strengthen their leadership skills.

In our selection criteria, business-women joining our Entrepreneurs in Handcrafts Program must be: literate (written & spoken English, computer, email and basic book-keeping); from countries with developing economies; able and willing to teach and inspire others, open to feedback and willing to apply new ideas to her business. They must also have either an established handcraft export business or one that is export-ready. 

Our program currently includes the following aspects:

1. 5-day training workshop
2. The development of a Vital Voices Global Handcraft Catalog
3. Buyer introductions – introducing buyers to the handcraft businesses when suitable opportunities arise
4. The development of working relationships between select handcraft businesses and high-profile international design and fashion houses as well as design schools.

During our 5-day training workshop, participants are provided with expert training which includes modules on: product design, development and evaluation; packaging and packing for export; financial management essentials; intellectual property rights; marketing and communications; export and international trade issues; costing and pricing for export and global product distribution. 

Our participants learn from expert designers and marketers, as well as entrepreneurs who have developed successful businesses in this area.  During the training program, experts and trainers evaluate samples of the participant’s products for aesthetic appeal, quality standards and price points, and advise them on how to appeal to the global consumer in addition to their own local customers.

Following the training program, the participants refine and expand their products and increase their production capacity to appeal to a wide-range of international wholesalers and retailers. Each business woman has the opportunity to have her products reach a much wider market and has the ability to expand and grow her business.

Success in Africa

Vital Voices has run a successful model program in Africa which was launched in January 2008. Training workshops have been held in Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Swaziland and Uganda and have included participants from 16 African countries.  In partnership with Bridge for Africa, a US-based non-profit distributor, we present select participants’ products to wholesalers at various international trade shows. Since 2007, this collaboration has produced more than $300,000 in wholesale, retail and internet sales as a result of the increased exposure. Bridge for Africa participates in our training workshops to help the participants better understand the U.S. wholesale market, as well as guide them through the process of export shipment.

In 2009, we started working with additional international distributors such as Swahili Imports, another US-based Distributor.

The Development of a Vital Voices Global Handcraft Catalog

We are currently gathering information from all previous training workshop participants and are developing a catalog of products per group which will be shared with potential buyers such as: large-volume buyers, corporate gift buyers, retail outlets and others interested parties.

Buyer Introductions

We introduce the women leaders of our Vital Voices Entrepreneurs in Handcrafts Program to prospective buyers when suitable opportunities arise. This also includes the facilitation of “Meet the Buyer” events at the Vital Voices offices in Washington, DC on occasions when the handcraft business-women are visiting the USA.

Mentorship Program between Handcraft Businesses and High Profile Fashion Designers

In 2009, the Vital Voices Entrepreneurs in Handcrafts Program developed a working relationship with Diane von Furstenberg, a Board Member of Vital Voices Global Partnership and President of Council of Fashion Designers of America.  Our Vital Voices team continuously identifies products that are incorporated into DvF’s Fashion Collections.

Partnership Program between Handcraft Businesses and International Design Schools

We are developing an initiative where we will partner with international design schools, with the intention of bringing final year design graduates to work in-country with select handcraft businesses.

Alongside this intervention, the Vital Voices Entrepreneurs in Handcrafts Program team continuously encourages their participants to develop working relationships with local design schools, to offer internship positions within their businesses that will provide the handcraft business with ongoing new product development ideas and provides the design school intern with practical business experience.

Collaboration between the Entrepreneurs in Handcrafts Program and Business Women’s Networks

The Entrepreneurs in Handcrafts Program collaborates with Vital Voices Business Women’s Networks (BWN’s). Where possible, we hold our training workshops in conjunction with the BWN meetings. We encourage all of our handcraft business-women leaders to join their in-country BWN’s as well as encouraging B-to-B preferred vendor trade between handcraft & BWN groups. We invite BWN members to present training modules at our training workshops on leadership and mentorship. BWN’s are also utilized to make recommendations for potential participants.   

For further information, please contact:

Zoe Dean Smith

Senior Director, Entrepreneurs in Handcrafts Program

Vital Voices Global Partnership

1625 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Suite 850, Washington DC 20036

Tel: +268-602-1181            Fax: +268-528-3667

Email : zoedean-smith@vitalvoices.org  or zdean-smith@africaonline.co.sz

Kianoosh Tahbaz-Salehi

Program Assistant, Entrepreneurs in Handcrafts Program

Vital Voices Global Partnership

1625 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Suite 850, Washington DC 20036

Tel: 202-446-0502            Fax: 202-296-4142

Email : kianooshtahbaz-salehi@vitalvoices.org