| The Collateral Repair Project in affiliation with the International Humanities Center |
| Iraqi Women's Craft Cooperative in Amman |
| You don't know how much this small project changed my family life! I used to spent my days crying and thinking about the past days in Iraq, about my house I left, my country, my friends and relatives I miss - but now I feel busy, thinking about our products, how to improve them, how to create new things, how to sell them. The school will come next month. We have collected some money from our work in the house. My three daughters are so happy. They shared me with all the works of making bags, jewelery, scarves, embroidery. They are 10, 12, 16 years old. The three girls are happy , they collected some money now in a small box to buy new clothes and shoes for school, new notebooks and colored pencils, they haven't been happy like this since years , when we left Iraq. Before this project, in the summer holiday, they used to spend the days sleeping or feeling bored, fighting with each other for nothing! Now they are sitting together, working as a team to help each other ! (Um Mahmood) Um Mahmood & her daughters |
A house meeting of some of the Women's Craft Cooperative members
The Women's Craft Cooperative is an exciting new venture that hopes to provide
Iraqi women and their families with a means of making an income through cottage
industry. It is also a means of establishing "community" - an important aspect of Iraqi
life that these women lost when their families had to flee Iraq.
It began with two women, studying different craft techniques under the guidance of an
experienced craft instructor. They are learning candle-making, glass-painting,
embroidery, jewelry-making, silk painting, rattan weaving, and more. As these women
learn the techniques, they, in turn, teach them to the other cooperative members.
They hope to increase the co-op size by including more and more women and
continually learning new craft techniques
The women meet in one another's homes - working together & with their families to
create these crafts. They dream of one day being able to rent a building where they
can have a gallery, work studio and small office.
Their goal is to market their products globally as a means of becoming self-sufficient
Iraqi women and their families with a means of making an income through cottage
industry. It is also a means of establishing "community" - an important aspect of Iraqi
life that these women lost when their families had to flee Iraq.
It began with two women, studying different craft techniques under the guidance of an
experienced craft instructor. They are learning candle-making, glass-painting,
embroidery, jewelry-making, silk painting, rattan weaving, and more. As these women
learn the techniques, they, in turn, teach them to the other cooperative members.
They hope to increase the co-op size by including more and more women and
continually learning new craft techniques
The women meet in one another's homes - working together & with their families to
create these crafts. They dream of one day being able to rent a building where they
can have a gallery, work studio and small office.
Their goal is to market their products globally as a means of becoming self-sufficient
Please contact us! And, of course, your financial contributions are gratefully accepted and very much needed. |
Co-op member & talented basket-weaver, Um Laith with her daughters
| Ways that you can help: |
| !! NEW !! Please visit our online Gallery |
| Gallery |
| VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: We are seeking a volunteer fair trade marketing coordinator and support team members to market products made by the crafts co-op in Amman to fair trade outlets. If you have experience in fair trade marketing, any product marketing, or a sincere willingness to learn as you go, please contact us |