Presbyterian Handicraft Centre (PRESCRAFT)

Unverified non-profit organisation

The Presbyterian Handicraft Centre, known as Prescraft, was organized by the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon as a non-profit organization to benefit disadvantaged craftspeople.

Men and women produce traditional West African handicrafts including baskets, pottery, woodcarvings, brass castings and musical instruments. Artisans working at three rural production centers earn a good income based on piece work. Some artisans combine handicraft production at home with farming or trading. Prescraft provides employment for close to 800 artisans, 40 percent of whom are women.

It was established to address the problem of rural exodus to towns, by creating employment in the villages. Prescraft mission is to help disadvantaged handicraft producer’s access fair, transparent, income and social programming that improves their lives and their communities, while their vision is to see Fair Trade as a way to achieve justice and equality for all. Producers have a voice in the way the project is managed. Prescraft believes that Fair Trade is a tool by which the marginalized are empowered, thus helping to reduce poverty. Prescraft intends to reach out and touch the livelihoods of as many artisans as they can and their families so that they improve their standards of living, through employment opportunities and Training. To preserve indigenous arts and crafts of the region by providing the artisans with a market is what keeps them motivated as an organisation.

Website

http://www.cofta.org/en/en/members_details.asp?memberid=39

Participant in relevant networks

The Cooperation for Fair Trade in Africa - COFTA

About this organisation

Partnership types

Doing business with the poor; Provision of goods

Regions / countries / territories

Africa: Cameroon

Global issues

Job creation and enterprise development; Trade and development

Goods categories

Arts, crafts & toys

Business sectors

Arts and culture