Crafts of Africa Cultural Gallery  (COACG ) is a self-help crafts producer organisation. We are a member of fair trade organisations likeInternational Federation for Alternative Trade (IFAT) and Fair Trade Federation (FTF-USA) among others

MISSION

" Job creation, poverty alleviation and cultural heritage promotion through handicrafts making as a source of income for Self-Help artisans; and Seeking marketing network locally and overseas is our priority task".

INTRODUCTION

Crafts of Africa Cultural Gallery, formerly known as Baduku Crafts is registered Self-Help organization Ref: SS/NP/5/Vol.1/96/19 with the Ministry of Home Affairs National Heritage, Culture and Social Services. The organization is located at the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) Jua Kali informal sector light industries along Rabai Road off Jogoo Road, about five miles in the Eastern area of Nairobi city. As a Self-Help grass-roots oriented development organization, Crafts of Africa Cutlural Gallery's major focus is to enable the Self-Help income generating Handicrafts producer groups meet their basic needs like food, clothing, shelter, education, health services etc.

Some of the many problems facing a majority of Kenya's population of 30 million people, are widespread of poverty, high unemployment and underemployment levels among other social economic problems/vices. However, in as much as the Government would like to address itself to the numerous problems facing the low-income groups, it cannot achieve much without the support of each and every development conscious person(s), Church or non-governmental organizations including the private sectors and the international community.

It was out of this concern that Crafts of Africa Cultural Gallery was formed. Since its inception in 1988, Crafts of Africa Cultural Gallery has been working with grass-roots communities in the urban, pre-urban slums and rural villages country-wide. The long-term objective being to build up low-income artisans so that they can build up a future for themselves by generating income through handcrafts making.

CRAFTS MAKING AS A SOURCE OF INCOME AND CULTURAL HERITAGE PROMOTION

Crafts of Africa Cultural Gallery regards a well organized and managed handicrafts industry as a meaningful economic activity through which the nation's deepest heritage and traditions, cultural roots, customs of folk and Art, can be passed on from one generation to the next. With this in mind , Handicrafts making as a source of income generating activity needs to be treated as an important Jua-Kali informal sector that has the potential for employment creation opportunities as well as earning the country the much needed foreign exchange/hard currency through export. Crafts of Africa Cultural Gallery is therefore contributing to the country's national economic growth and in uplifting the social-economic status of the impoverished grass-roots communities such as the squatter dwellers, urban poor, small farmer, pastoralists and the handicapped etc. who are striving to be self reliant despite the harsh realities of their daily lives.

To achieve its goals and objectives, Crafts Village is actively involved in the nurturing talents for participatory development through mobilizing and encouraging the marginalized or the less fortunate persons tap their ingenuity, talents and creativity by making unique, high quality artefacts, utilitarian and decorative handicrafts that command ready sale locally and internationally.

The mode of production for most handicrafts requires basic indigenous methods and to some extent an application of appropriate technology. In light of this, a continuos or regular receipt of handicrafts orders, means more labour intensive and guaranteed income generating opportunities for the Crafts Producer groups. These beautifully handicrafted African Traditional Products are as noted below:

• African dolls and toys

• African jewellery designs and traditional Maasai jewellery

• Banana fiber art and utility basketry

• Batiks and batik post cards including oil painting/fine art

• Traditional/cultural African musical instruments and utility cow/goat skin drum products

• Hand-woven cotton, Tie/dyed materials, silk screen fabrics and "Swahili" khanga/lesos screen printed T-shirts in African abstract designs

• Palm leaf African basketry

• Modern & traditional pottery products

• Sisal basket-ware "Kenyan Kiondos"

• Soapstone carvings (Kisii)

• Weaving products

• Wood carving

• Gift items etc.

Over the years, Crafts Village has been able establish an enhanced business link with about 50 skilled self-help crafts producer groups in urban, peri-urban slums and rural villages. Hence the name Crafts of Africa Cultural Gallery. The group average membership ranges between 15-50 people; with 70% of the members being women. On the average, each group member or household has about six dependants. This means about 15,000 persons have at one time or another been direct or indirect beneficiaries of Crafts of Cultural Gallery community based integrated development activities/initiatives.

Handicrafts marketing be it at the local or international level is a dynamic process that requires constant updates and information on any new development activities in the Crafts world. It is this awareness that has made Crafts of Africa Cultural Gallery to establish and maintain its membership links with both the government and private organizations. Some of these are: the Kenya External Trade Authority (KETA) of the Ministry of Trade; the Export Promotion Council (EPC) and the Kenya National Chambers of Commerce and Industry. The Crafts Village is also a member of foreign-based organizations involved in the promotion and marketing of handicrafts from less developed countries.

VISION