![]() ![]() ![]() The word 'kantha' means 'patched cloth' and Bangladeshi women have made quilts like this for centuries. The saris are sold on at large markets in Dhaka, where the most beautiful and colourful are hand-selected for a new life as a kantha quilt. Kantha quilts are made from vintage cotton saris, making every blanket unique. Merchants travel door-to-door in wealthier neighbourhoods, trading old saris for cooking pots and utensils. Our social enterprise partner has two locations in the capital, Dhaka, and a third office in the city of Mymensingh. The UN identifies Bangladesh as one of the 'least developed' countries in the world based on social and economic measures. This empowering project provides vulnerable women with a safe haven, training and dignified work, often for the first time in their lives. The project is called 'Basha' which comes from the Bengali words for 'house' and 'hope'.īangladesh is a country of extremes, with densely-populated cities and remote rural villages. This kantha quilt is made by a fair trade social enterprise that employs survivors of trafficking and sexual exploitation. I love weaving a lot, I even get dreams about weaving!” Peninah Nduku View other products by these artisans In the group we assist one another, advise one another to overcome challenges and motivate each other. “Being part of a weaving co-operative has given me more independence. The co-operative's success has given endangered plants and animals the chance to recover. All the women can afford medical care and schooling for their children. The co-operative structure is empowering because the women have an equal say in business decisions and vote on how profits are spent. How your purchase improves livesīasket weaving brings the women together and gossiping, singing and dancing all form part of the weekly meetings. The skill of weaving the baskets is embedded in the Taita tribal culture and passed down from mother to daughter. The ladies then hand-spin the fibre into twine and colour it with dyes. The sisal leaves are harvested from their own fields, beaten and combed to extract the fibre. How is it made?Ĭo-operative members benefit from every stage of the basket production. It's an eco-friendly crop as it doesn't require pesticides or herbicides to grow. Each leaf contains around 1,000 fibres that can be used to make twine, paper and carpets. It has long sword-shaped leaves and grows readily in hot climates. The basket project was set up by an environmental charity in 1997 to give local people an alternative income and protect engandered species. The Kasigau Corridor in East Kenya was once rich in wildlife but slash-and-burn farming and poaching meant the community had ravaged their forest in order to survive. Selling baskets gives the women a year-round income so they can provide for their families even if crops fail. ![]() The area is prone to low rainfall and, when harvests failed, the villagers would previously resort to poaching for food. Our baskets are made by a co-operative of over 400 women in East Kenya. ![]()
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