Valuing creatives preserving culture

Dorah painting one of her flower vases

Her hands move swiftly yet so carefully as she folds the pieces of paper to make the beautiful flower vases. Following the pattern she afore designed, Dorah sets to entwine the papers to create a flower vase. After a day or two, she completes a flower vase then sets out to dry it and apply vanish for final touches.

Sanyu Centre for Arts and Rights (Uganda) in partnership with Trust for Indigenous Culture and Health /Braid Arts and Cultural Fund conducted an initiative Valuing Creatives Preserving Culture to build the business acumen of young artists like Dorah to develop and expand their enterprises. The initiative reached over 50 creatives including artisans and fashion designers in Kyebando and Kamwokya areas in Kampala through training and mentorship in creative businesses. Our focus was on handicrafts made from recycled materials, traditional woven handicrafts, and fashion design. SARI did monthly workshops on marketing, product development, financial management, and business registrations. Participants also learnt to enhance their online presence through social media and group learning.

Through training and capital support, Dorah has honed her skills in making different products including flower vases and necklaces out of recycled paper (an initiative also contributing to a clean planet), floral arrangements and custom made bead work. Furthermore, through the capital support, Dorah has expanded her product line to include African bags to diversify her income. Dorah has managed to transfer her work from home to setting up a business.

Kisa kya Maria Arts and Crafts women group with some of their basket products

Kisa kya Maria Arts and Crafts women group is a team of weavers in Kasengejje village that was supported to access more raw materials to make different decorative baskets and in greater numbers. Through the trainings in enterprenuership, they have improved capacity in the management of their group enterprise through better records keeping and increased marketing of their products.

Joanna is another passionate fashion designer who has finally formalised her fashion enterprise- Lulungi Couture, Uganda. This has been though her participation in the project, Joanna acquired knowledge and skills in intellectual property rights and tools, registration processes and putting together required  documents. Having her business registered has been one of her dreams but never knew how to go about it . After registration, she has got a bigger space to have a training workshop for young fashion creatives.

We are happy for these creatives and look forward to seeing them grow their enterprises and be an inspiration to many upcoming ones. SARI is grateful to the partnership with Trust for Indigenous Culture and Health /Braid Arts and Cultural Fund (Kenya) for this initiative that has contributed positively to increasing creative and culture businesses in Uganda.

Some of the crafts that are made by creatives during the program.

SARI calls for more collaborators and like-minded actors to support many young creatives especially girls and young women profitably engage in the creative sector.